Alone No More: Minako's Story
by Jason Ulloa
Summary: The first story in the Question series. When Minako became Sailor V, she and Artemis had to fight the Dark Agency on their own. However, this time, they will get a new partner to help them in their fight against the Dark Agency.
1. The Question: Prelude to Story 1

Alone No More - Minako's Story  
Story #1 of the Question Series  
by Jason C. Ulloa  
  
  
Prelude to Story #1  
  
"Hmm...," the robed figure mused in the darkness as the crystal continued to shine. "Well,   
that was... boring. I would've thought that this reality would've had at least something of   
interest." The dark figure shrugged fatalistically. "Well, nothing left to do except put   
this reality out of its misery."  
  
With a gesture, the crystal suddenly turned black, like a light being turned off. "There,"   
the figure said with a sad sigh. "That's done. It was for the best. No one should be forced   
to live in such a miserable existence. Now... that was reality #5309674128, wasn't it?" The   
figure paused in thought. "Yes, that's right. Well, maybe I'll try one at random."  
  
The figure waved a hand again, and the crystal flickered to life again. The scene was of a   
fierce battle between a sinister-looking force and a group of ten warriors; nine female and   
one male, each wearing a sailor fuku of a different color. The figure watched in   
fascination as the battle raged on, with all but one of the ten sailor-suited warriors   
falling one by one until the leader and the enemy remained standing.  
  
The leader seemed in great anguish at the defeat of each of her allies, but remained firm   
against the evil. With a firm, resolute expression on her face, she raised a silver crystal   
into the air overhead and summoned forth an incredible amount of power, amplified by her   
own life force. The figure knew what this meant: the leader was sacrificing her own life in   
order to stop the evil being. When enough energy had been gathered, it was hurled at the   
foe with a vengence. The enemy tried to stop the attack with an attack of its own - the   
strongest it could muster - but it proved ineffective as it was totally destroyed.  
  
The figure applauded; it was quite a show. Occasionally, the good triumphing over evil   
thing was very satisfying to watch. As the figure's gaze turned back toward the leader, the   
figure froze. Her last bit of energy gone, the leader crumpled lifelessly to the ground and   
joined her allies in death.  
  
"Oh, now that just won't do at all," the dark figure muttered testily. "All that work, just   
to die. Besides, they seemed to be such a close bunch; especially since every one of them   
were furious when the male was the first to die. Hmm...," the figure thought as a thought   
came to mind. A wicked smile suddenly appeared in the figure's dark face. With a quick   
gesture, the ten spirits of the sailor-suited warriors suddenly appeared in the figure's   
black, featureless chambers.  
  
"What...?" the tall blonde girl wearing blue and gold said as she and the others looked   
around in confusion. "Where are we?"  
  
"What happened?" the tall brunette girl wearing green and pink asked.  
  
"The last thing I remember," the boy wearing gray and silver began, "was getting hit by...   
something, then blacking out. Now I wake up to find us all here. What happened?"  
  
"You died," the leader murmured sadly. "You all did. After that, I used the Ginzuishou's   
full power to defeat our enemy."  
  
"After which, you died," the black-haired girl wearing red and purple finished in a faint   
voice. "But, if we're all dead...."  
  
"Then, where are you?" the dark figure finished for them. "Easy. You're in my home." All   
ten sailor-suited warriors whirled around to see who spoke. It was easy to find the only   
other occupant of the 'room'. There was blackness darker than night everywhere except for   
the crystal in front of the dark, robed figure, yet everything was clearly visible, as if   
illuminated by some unseen light source. The figure, robed so it was unclear as to which   
gender it was, seemed to be seated in front of them like a judge. The crystal, still   
floating and still shining, had moved to the figure's side. Even though the figure's cowl   
was open, it was impossible to see a face inside all that darkness. "I brought you here."  
  
"Who are you?" the shorter blonde wearing orange and blue demanded.  
  
"Why did you bring us here?" the young girl with short black hair wearing purple added.  
  
The dark figure gave a small chuckle, then turned back toward the crystal. With another   
wave of its hand over the crystal, it gave off a quick, brilliant flash. "Just as I   
thought," it said half to itself as it turned back toward its guests.  
  
"I have no name," the dark figure began, "for I have no need for one. My purpose is simple:   
to oversee various realities to determine its viability - in other words, its right to   
exist. If I deem it to be a dull retched existence which will lead to nothing but despair,   
like if a massive plague wiped out almost all life and left the rest to die a slow death,   
for example, then...." It made a cutting motion with its hand. "Otherwise, I leave it   
alone."  
  
"So, you're some sort of 'overseer'?" the tall brunette in green asked.  
  
"If you wish to call me that, yes," it replied.  
  
"So, what does that have to do with us?" the guy asked.   
  
"Yes," the girl with short bluish-hair wearing light blue added, "Obviously, you've come   
across our dimension, or else we wouldn't be here in the first place. Have you decided   
to... extingush our dimension?"  
  
"If you have," the black-haired girl in red added, "we won't let you do it without a   
fight!" Her threat was seconded by the others.  
  
It chuckled again. "Oh, no. Definitely not that. You ten alone have enough potential in you   
to keep your dimension well in hand. However, the fact that you all died in your last   
battle...." The dark figure shook its head ruefully. "Well, that's the reason I brought you   
all here."  
  
"Are you saying you can bring us all back to life?" the leader asked eagerly.  
  
"Well... yes, but there's a condition you all have to meet first," it replied.  
  
"What... condition?" the tall girl with sea-green hair wearing sea-green and blue asked   
warily.  
  
"You see," the dark figure began, "there is an infinite number of realities to view and   
more than half of them are more than likely going to require... termination. It gets   
tedious going through one dimension after another, so what I require from all of you is...   
some entertainment."  
  
"Entertainment?!?" all ten repeated incredulously.  
  
"I've already went through your reality - #7129534680, in case you want to know - and found   
certain points in the timestream where a small, almost insignificant change would lead in   
an entirely new reality.  
  
"There is another curiousity I've noticed as well," the figure continued and it stared   
directly at the male and pointed. "You."  
  
"Me?" he asked warily. "What about me?"  
  
"Did you know that there are points in your reality where you would've been paired up with   
any one of these girls instead of the one you're currently with now?"  
  
"W-w-what?!?!?" he exclaimed in shock. His surprise was mirrored perfectly by the other   
nine girls.  
  
"Yes, even with her," it replied with another chuckle as it pointed to the tall brunette   
girl. Even without looking through their dimension, it could tell that they were siblings   
through their similar features. Both the guy and the girl began to turn a red that would've   
shamed the reddest tomato, while the others stood astonished. "That enough would've been   
enough to draw my attention to this dimension. Anyway, since each one of these points has   
past and the present is planted firmly on its course, that's where all of you come in.  
  
"In order for me to view these past events, each one of you must volunteer to be sent back   
into time temporarily to reside in the body of your past self. You will serve as my conduit   
into that reality, where I can make the proper alterations in order to view that reality.   
Since I am changing an alternate past, all my alterations are not permanent. Once I am   
finished, I will withdraw with the chosen person back here and start again with the next   
person."  
  
"And once all of us have had our turns, then you'll bring us back to life and send us back   
home?" the leader asked.  
  
"You have my word," it replied. "A favor for a favor, but remember, this is a one time   
deal. If you all die again, I won't be able to help you. All right?"  
  
"All right," all ten agreed.  
  
"Good," the dark figure replied with a nod. "So, who's first? Will it be Sailor Moon,   
Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Venus, Knight, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, or Pluto? Or, would you   
prefer Usagi, Ami, Rei, Makoto, Minako, Ryoku, Hotaru, Haruka, Michiru, or Setsuna?" The   
figure chuckled at the confounded looks on the faces of the Sailor Senshi. "Surprised I   
knew your names? I told you, I looked through your reality. I know all about each one of   
you. Now, who's first?"  
  
Sailor Knight stepped forward. "I'll go."  
  
"No," it replied after some thought. "You're last. I've got something special planned for   
you."  
  
"I'm not sure I like the sound of that...."  
  
Sailor Jupiter stepped forward and swallowed. "Then, let me go," she stated nervously, as   
if she wanted to get her part over and done with.  
  
The dark, robed figure nodded. "Come here please, Makoto and Ryoku." As they strode toward   
the figure, it began to stroke the part of its head where its chin would be - if they   
could've seen inside the dark robes - thoughtfully. "Maybe I'll keep this one just to   
myself. No doubt the rest of you would be a little disturbed by this...."  
  
"They aren't the only ones," both Jupiter and Knight said simultaneously.   
  
"I see," it said as it nodded. "Well, I can't let her out of her share. It wouldn't be fair   
to the rest. Besides, I said everybody and I mean everybody." It nodded as if to close the   
matter. "Now relax. You two will feel as if you're going to sleep. When you wake up, you'll   
no longer be who you are, but who you were. You will not be you, but you will be your   
counterpart. You will not be able to control anything. You are there to watch, feel, and to   
experience. You will think what they think, know what they know, and feel what they feel.   
Now... sleep."  
  
The dark figure began to slowly fade away as it spoke. When it finished speaking, it was   
gone, but Jupiter and Knight were left lying there on the floor, motionless as stone with   
their eyes closed.  
  
Sometime later, the dark, robed figure faded back into being. Jupiter and Knight woke from   
their trances looking very disturbed. Neither one seemed able to look directly at the other   
as they stood.  
  
"What happened?" Venus asked.  
  
"Don't ask," they both replied in very faint voices. "Please don't ask."  
  
"Well...," it murmured quietly, "that was quite a surprise. I wasn't expecting... that.   
Here, this will help." It quickly placed a dark hand over both Jupiter's and Knight's eyes   
and quickly removed them again. After that, they blinked and gave each other a confused   
look, then looked over to the hooded figure. "I merely placed a small mental block on each   
of you. You'll still be able to remember everything, but it won't be as much of a shock   
anymore, if at all. Now... who's next? I assure you, nothing else will be that bad, and   
this time I'll let everyone watch as well."  
  
The others exchanged glances; some wary, some doubting. Finally, Sailor Venus stepped   
forward. "I'll go, if that's all right."  
  
"Fine," it replied with a nod. "Now, Minako, will you and Ryoku please come here? You   
remember how this goes?" Sailor Knight nodded along with Venus. "Good. Now remember: When   
you wake up, you'll no longer be who you are, but who you were. You will not be you, but   
you will be your counterpart. You will not be able to control anything. You are there to   
watch, feel, and to experience. You will think what they think, know what they know, and   
feel what they feel. Now... sleep."  
  
Slowly, the world began to grow dark as Sailor Venus and Sailor Knight - Minako and Ryoku -   
began to drift into a very deep sleep as they slipped down onto the floor....  
  
**********************************************  
  
On to Minako's story: Alone No More  
  
**********************************************  
  
Author's Note: You're probably wondering about the 'Question' that is implied in the title,   
right? Well, when I began my first fic and created Sailor Knight, I was asked why I paired   
him up with Sailor Mercury instead of any of the other Senshi. That question inspired this   
series of short fics where I pair Ryoku with each and every other Senshi; Haruka, Michiru,   
and Usagi included. By the way, I'll say this now, I don't intend to say that Haruka and   
Michiru, or Usagi and Mamoru don't belong together, but this is just for a change of pace,   
and just for fun. I mean, if Haruka and Michiru are paired up with a guy, just this once,   
and as long as it's done without completely changing them into somebody else, then I say   
why not? After all, all's fair in love and alternate realities, ne? ^_~  
  
Disclaimer: All original materials belong to their respective owners. Sailor Moon belongs   
to Naoko Takeuchi and a bunch of big companies. No copyright infringement is intended. This   
story belongs me, so I would appreciate it very much if you would ask for permission before   
posting it anywhere else. Thank you.  
  
The Question and all stories included are:  
Copyright © July 6, 2001 Jason C. Ulloa.   
All Rights Reserved. 


	2. Chapter 1

Alone No More: Minako's Story  
by Jason C. Ulloa  
  
  
Chapter 1  
  
There was a sensation in the air this morning. For some reason, it felt like something was   
going to change. Maybe for the better, maybe for the worse, but the feeling of change was   
evident in the air.  
  
Aino Minako tossed her blanket aside and sat up in her bed. As she swung her legs over to   
the side of her bed, she yawned and stretched her arms. She glanced out the open window at   
the morning sun. It looked so beautiful... wait. What was it doing so high up...?  
  
"AAH!!!" she yelped as she glanced over at her alarm clock, which she forgot to set...   
again. "I overslept! I'm gonna be late!!!" Minutes later, she was dressed and out the door   
at breakneck speed.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Ohh...," Minako moaned as she stood out in the hall with a sign around her neck saying, 'I   
was late.' "And I almost made it, too." She sighed to herself as she glanced down the hall.   
No one was around. Everyone was in class already. She glanced down the opposite end of the   
hall and spotted somebody turning the corner and coming down the hall in her direction. It   
was a boy wearing a light brown school uniform and reading a piece of paper in his hand.  
  
'Who is that guy?' she thought to herself. 'He must be new here since he's not wearing our   
school uniform.' He continued to come straight at her as if he didn't know she was there.   
Since he hadn't lifted his eyes off the paper yet, maybe he didn't know. She was about to   
tell him he was going to run into her when he suddenly stopped a few paces in front of her   
and looked up at her.  
  
Minako's eyes widened as she saw his face. He had the most beautiful, piercing gray eyes   
she had ever seen. His long light brown hair was tied together in a short ponytail at the   
base of his head. His expression was one of irritation at being lost at his first day in a   
new school.  
  
'He is so cool!' she thought excitedly to herself. 'And it's his first day here, so I get   
first shot at him! I guess this day isn't going to be as bad as I first thought it would.'  
  
"Excuse me," the boy said politely, "but can you help me? I just transfered here and I   
can't find my class...." Minako was just about to introduce herself and ask him which   
classroom he was looking for when he glanced upward and blinked in surprise. "Ah! Never   
mind. I've already found it. Thank you anyway." He gave her a small, polite nod, opened the   
door to her classroom and entered, closing the door behind her.  
  
"He's gone...," she murmured softly to herself in disappointment. "So much for being   
first." Her expression lifted as a sudden realization hit her. "But, he is in my class.   
Maybe I still have a chance!"  
  
The door to the classroom opened suddenly as the teacher's head stuck out the door with a   
hard glare directed at her. "Quiet out in the hallway!" With that, the teacher slammed the   
door closed with a loud bang.  
  
"Ohhh....," she moaned in exasperation.  
  
**********************************************  
  
As soon as school was out, Mina set out to find the new transfer student. He had to be   
around here somewhere. Hopefully, no one had gotten to him before she could....  
  
"Mina!" a voice called out behind Minako. She turned around to see her best friend, Hikaru,   
running up to her. She had known Hikaru since elementary school and had been best friends   
with her since. "Mina!" she shouted again. "Did you see him?"  
  
"See who, Hikaru-chan?" Minako asked. "Are you talking about that new transfer student?"  
  
"Yeah!" she replied with an excited nod; her short dark hair bobbing along with her head.   
"His name's Kino Ryoku."  
  
"Ryoku?" Minako repeated. "That name certainly seems to fit him."  
  
"Anyway," Hikaru continued, "he told me he was looking for you."  
  
"For me?!?" she shouted excitedly. "I must've made a great first impression when he saw me."  
  
"Actually," Hikaru cut in, "he said he wanted to apologize for his rudeness in not   
introducing himself earlier."  
  
"What?" Minako blurted, her face showing extreme disappointment. "That's all?" Hikaru   
nodded. "Oh...."  
  
"Excuse me," a male voice asked from behind them. "Are you Aino-san?"  
  
Both girls gave a start as they whirled around to see who spoke. "Oh! Kino-san!" Minako   
said in surprise as they recognized the boy.  
  
"You know my name," he said, his eyes slowly narrowing. When he noticed Hikaru, he suddenly   
nodded as if he just realized something. "Oh, so she told you. I suppose she told you why I   
was looking for you as well?"  
  
"She did," Minako replied. "There's no need to apologize...."  
  
"Maybe," he said with a shrug, "but I feel that I do need to apologize. Please forgive my   
rudeness," he finished with a small bow.  
  
Hikaru started to smirk as Minako began to blush. "Uh... okay," she stammered in   
embarrasment.  
  
"You may already know my name, but I'll introduce myself anyway since I'm in your class,"   
he stated with a small grin. "My name is Kino Ryoku."  
  
"I'm Aino Minako," she replied with a smile.  
  
"And I'm Torashima Hikaru, Kino-san," Hikaru replied.  
  
"Kino-san...," he grimaced. "That sounds too formal. Ryoku's fine."  
  
"I prefer Minako, myself," Minako added.  
  
"Hikaru's fine by me," Hikaru added.  
  
"So, we're all agreed to go by a first name basis, ne?" Ryoku asked with a small chuckle.   
"Sound's fine to me. Well, I've enjoyed speaking with you two, but I have to go."  
  
"Go? Already?" Minako asked disappointingly.  
  
"I have important matters to attend to at home," he replied. "Well, I'll see you two   
tomorrow, then. Ja!" With a small nod, he turned and began to jog off.  
  
"He took the trouble of looking for you, just to apologize for being rude," Hikaru observed   
partly to herself.  
  
"Well, I suppose it's a start," Minako said with a shrug. "At any rate, I'm getting kinda   
hungry. Wanna go get something to eat, Hikaru-chan?"  
  
"All right!" she agreed eagerly. "I'm starving! Let's go!"  
  
**********************************************  
  
Ryoku opened the door to the apartment he was forced to get on such short notice. It was a   
two-bedroom apartment, which was the only option he had in that specific complex. No   
matter; should Mako-chan be forced to transfer as well, she could live with him in the   
apartment. It was close to many different middle schools, including the one he was   
attending.  
  
The phone rang just as he stepped through the doorway. He threw his stuff onto the floor   
and all but dived for the phone.  
  
"Mako-chan?" he said as soon as he grabbed the phone off the hook.  
  
"Who else knows your number?" his younger sister asked with a small laugh. "I suppose you   
can guess I got your message saying that you've got an apartment... and a phone now."  
  
"That's right," he replied. "So, how are things over there, right now? You gotten into any   
fights since I left?"  
  
"Not a one, Ryo-chan," she replied almost disappointedly. "Not since you got transferred   
for breaking that guy's nose."  
  
"No one touches my sister like that and escapes unharmed," he growled in a harsh, lethally   
quiet tone. "He never got one quarter of what he deserved."  
  
"True, but ever since, most guys have been avoiding me."  
  
"That's because they also know that I took the blame for the rest of what you did to the   
guy," Ryoku added. "I just broke his nose. You broke his right arm and his jaw!" He could   
hear Makoto laughing on the other end of the line.  
  
"Okay, so I also went a little overboard," she admitted. "Still, we could've shared the   
blame and the punishment, and I would've been transferred with you. I'd be with you right   
now, Ryo-chan...."  
  
"Enough of that, Imouto-chan," Ryoku said firmly. "You know that they never would've   
believed that we both did it. Besides, I was the one who started it. The blame truly is   
mine. Sure, you would've done the same had I chosen not to act, but the fact of the matter   
is that I threw the first punch."  
  
Makoto sighed in vexation. "As you say, Oniichan...."  
  
"Anyway, Mako-chan," he continued in a lighter tone, "let me tell you about my first day at   
school. I did get lost looking for my first class, but then I met this girl named Aino   
Minako who helped me find my class, which just happened to be the same one she's in...."  
  
**********************************************  
  
"So, you live by yourself?" Hikaru asked as Minako stepped up to the volleyball court. A   
week had passed since Ryoku had came to their school, and he was beginning to become   
adjusted to his new schedule.  
  
"Well, since my younger sister, Makoto, is still at my former boarding school, I do live by   
myself... for now," he added as an afterthought.  
  
"Wow," she said in amazement. "It must be great to live by yourself and not have your   
parents telling you what to do all the time."  
  
A dark, sad expression spread across Ryoku's face. "I don't know about that, Hikaru-san,"   
he said quietly. "If I had my way, Mako-chan and I would be back with our parents again."   
He shook his head ruefully. "Never mind about that. You're just gonna have to deal with   
your parents for the time being."  
  
Hikaru snorted sullenly. "Doesn't stop me from wishing, though."  
  
Ryoku chuckled softly. "I suppose not."  
  
"Look out!" Minako shouted just moments before barreling into Ryoku, just as the volleyball   
she had been chasing smacked him in the back of his head. Both of them came crashing to the   
floor in a tangled heap as the ball bounced away.  
  
"Oooh...," Hikaru breathed as she knelt down at her friends' side and   
winced in sympathy. "That looked like it hurt."  
  
"Itai...," both Minako and Ryoku murmured painfully.  
  
"Aino!" the gym teached yelled from the other side of the court. "What are you doing? Why   
didn't you watch where you were going? Point for the other team."  
  
"But...," she began, but sighed instead as she and Ryoku untangled themselves and stood up.  
  
"It was my fault," Ryoku said. "I was standing in her way when she bumped into me." Both   
Minako and Hikaru looked at him with a puzzled expression.  
  
"What are you trying to say, Kino?" the teacher asked.  
  
"Just don't be so hard on her for something that was my fault," he replied, then turned and   
started for a different section of the gym where some boys were playing a game of   
basketball.  
  
After gym class was over, Minako rushed over to where Ryoku was sitting underneath one of   
the trees scattered around the grounds.  
  
"I just want to thank you for what you said earlier, Ryo-kun," she said with a grateful   
smile as she sat down beside him. "You knew it was my fault for not paying attention to   
where I was going, yet you took the blame for me."  
  
"You're my friend, Minako-san," he replied simply. "I do that sort of thing for my friends.   
Anyway, no thanks are needed."  
  
Minako nodded as she paused in thought. "Ryo-kun... would you walk me home after school?"   
she asked suddenly.  
  
"Of course," he replied with a warm smile.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"I'm home!" Minako shouted as she opened the door to her house.  
  
"Mina, who's that boy standing behind you?" her mother asked as she walked out of the   
living room.  
  
"This is Kino Ryoku," she replied. "He's in my class at school."  
  
"I walked your daughter home from school," Ryoku said bowing respectfully.  
  
She gave him a considering look as she looked him over intently. Ryoku suddenly began to   
feel slightly uncomfortable under such scrutiny. "Young man, what, may I ask, are your   
intentions toward my daughter?" she finally asked in a very straightforward manner.  
  
"Mom!" Minako exclaimed indignantly while both she and Ryoku blushed red. "You're   
embarrassing me!"  
  
"I'm just her friend," Ryoku replied seriously.  
  
"Just a friend?" Minako's mother repeated questioningly, but not as intently as before.  
  
"Yes," he answered. "I'm not looking for a girlfriend. Minako-san is just my friend." He   
then turned to Minako. "I think I'd better go now. I'll see you tomorrow at school." He   
then turned back to her mother. "It was nice to meet you. Good day." He gave a polite bow,   
then left.  
  
"Mom, why did you ask him those questions?" Minako asked irritably.  
  
"I thought you were introducing him to me because you two were planning on going on a   
date," she replied. "I didn't know he was only walking you home as a friend. I'm sorry,   
Mina."  
  
"I'm going to go take a bath," Minako muttered as she stalked away. She couldn't help but   
remember the words that Ryoku had said before he left: he wasn't looking for a girlfriend,   
and that she was just a friend. She would apologize to Ryoku tomorrow for what her mother   
had said, but for now, she just wanted to soak in the bathtub and forget everything. Her   
chance may have been lost with him, but at least he would remain her friend.  
  
A small consolation.  
  
**********************************************  
  
Disclaimer: All original materials belong to their respective owners. Sailor Moon belongs   
to Naoko Takeuchi and a bunch of big companies. No copyright infringement is intended. This   
story belongs me, so I would appreciate it very much if you would ask for permission before   
posting it anywhere else. Thank you.  
  
The Question and all stories included are:  
Copyright © July 6, 2001 Jason C. Ulloa.   
All Rights Reserved. 


	3. Chapter 2

Alone No More: Minako's Story  
by Jason C. Ulloa  
  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Ryoku watched from a distance as Minako began to go through a gymnastics routine for gym   
class. She agilely and easily swung herself over the bar again and again, building up the   
necessary speed for her dismount. From the look on her face, she was determined to pull off   
some difficult maneuver. He glanced over at Hikaru standing next to him. She shrugged as   
she rolled her eyes in chagrin. She must've been thinking the same thing he was.  
  
Minako let go of the bar, tucked in her knees and performed a somersault with a half-twist.   
Just before she was about to land, she spotted a white cat with a crescent moon on its   
forehead looking up at her.  
  
"What? A cat? Watch out!!!" Minako shouted as she fell to the ground.  
  
"Mrrrooowww!!!"  
  
Too late.  
  
"What do you think you're doing?" she demanded of the cat as she got up off it, then glared   
around her. "Who put that cat right where I was going to land?!?" Ryoku and Hikaru   
shrugged. Neither one had seen the cat until she was right over it.  
  
"Hey!" the gym teacher shouted angrily. "Aino Minako! What kind of stunt are you   
pulling?!?"  
  
"Okay...," she grumbled to herself as she walked back to the vertical bar.  
  
"You okay?" Ryoku asked later, after she was finished.  
  
"Yeah...," Minako sighed. "If it wasn't for that cat, I would have made a perfect landing."  
  
"Well... you did want to make an impression, Mina...," Hikaru replied.  
  
"Too bad it was on the mat and that white cat," Ryoku commented wryly.  
  
"Ryo-kun!" she said disapprovingly, but with a hint of a laugh in her voice. She quickly   
covered her mouth to hide the smirk that was slowly creeping its way onto her face.  
  
"Very funny," Minako muttered as she irritably crossed her arms over her chest.  
  
"I'm sorry, Minako-san," he said sheepishly while rubbing the back of his head in chagrin.   
"I couldn't help it."  
  
Minako humphed loudly, then let it drop. "Never mind, Ryo-kun," she said with a grin. "I   
know you were only kidding."  
  
"You seem pretty happy today," Hikaru noted.  
  
"Yeah, I wonder why?" Ryoku added sarcastically.  
  
"Hmm...," Minako said with a impish grin on her face. "I wonder why, indeed...." She pulled   
a folded letter out of her pocket and glanced down at the name written on it. 'To   
Higashi-senpai.' A love letter to her latest crush.  
  
Now, if only she could find the opportunity to deliver it....  
  
**********************************************  
  
In gym class the next day, Minako waited paitiently in a line to return volleys for   
volleyball. The girl in front of her darted forward and leaped into the air. She connected   
with the ball, spiking it back over the net.  
  
"Okay, next!" the teacher called out. "Aino!"  
  
Minako stepped forward and nodded, indicating that she was ready. The ball was served   
toward her over the net. She quickly rushed forward to meet the ball, leaped into the air,   
and sent the ball flying back with a powerful spike.  
  
"Good," the teacher commented. "Next!"  
  
Minako returned to her spot at the end of the volleyball court. She then glanced over at   
the next court. 'Next to the volleyball court is the boys' basketball court,' she thought   
to herself. 'And there's that guy.... As soon as he transferred here, he became instantly   
popular. Higashi-senpai.'  
  
A handsome black-haired boy effortlessly shot his basketball at the basket and sank his   
shot in. He grinned smugly, as if he knew all along that his shot would've gone in.  
  
"Hey! Hey!" one girl exclaimed to the others around her. "Out of the way! Be quiet! I'm   
trying to watch Higashi-senpai!"  
  
'He's always got those older girls around him,' Minako thought dispairingly. 'It's   
impossible to get close to him.'  
  
As she continued to watch, Higashi shot a few more baskets, then picked up his ball and   
started to leave. 'Oh, he's going somewhere!' Minako realized anxiously. 'This is my   
chance! I'm going to give him the love letter.' She quickly gathered up her courage and ran   
forward. "Senpa-!"  
  
Suddenly, the white cat jumped out in front of her, halting her in her tracks.  
  
"It's that cat...!" she exclaimed in frustration at being kept from delivering her love   
letter.  
  
"Oh, a cat!" a girl said as she spotted the white cat. "It's cute!"  
  
"A cat?" another girl asked. "Oh! It is cute!"  
  
"Where?" a third girl called out. "Oh, there it is!"  
  
Higashi continued to walk away as the girls gather around Minako, admiring 'her' cat.  
  
"Hey, senpai?!?" she called out in a last attempt to get his attention. Unfortunately, her   
call was lost over the chatter of the girls surrounding her. "He's leaving! Ohh...."  
  
**********************************************  
  
Minako sat in the room for class B of the 7th grade course at the Glory Cram School,   
stuffing a burger and fries into her mouth. Beside her, Hikaru watched Minako stuff herself   
as Ryoku watched the door for any sign of the teacher. Every once and a while, he would   
glance over at her and marvel at how she could manage to stuff her mouth like that and not   
choke.  
  
"Mina, hurry and finish eating!" Hikaru urged. "Ryo-kun just told me that the teacher's   
coming!"  
  
"Just a second!" she replied between mouthfuls out food.  
  
"Too late," Ryoku said as the teacher walked in and immediately spotted Minako stuffing her   
face.  
  
"Aino!" the teacher snapped. "Are you goofing off again!? Here's your last math test! 27   
percent! You need to be using your time for studying!"  
  
"But... I was hungry!" she retorted. "I didn't have enough to eat! I was exercising, so I   
worked up a big appetite."  
  
"So your appetite is more important than your intelligence...," the teacher said   
disdainfully. Minako gave the teacher an indignant stare as the rest of the test scores   
were read off.  
  
The white cat watched them through the window. "She's got lots of problems," he said,   
seemingly to himself as he held a decorated pen in his mouth. "Makes me a little nervous   
about the future."  
  
"But, she is the right one, Artemis," said a female voice coming from the pen.  
  
"I know, boss."  
  
"Here are last month's exam results," the teacher continued while writing several test   
scores on the board. "They are very disappointing. Especially in math. And so, you're going   
to get some help from the 8th and 9th grade students of class A. Then you'll try it one   
more time."  
  
Some older students entered the classroom. One in particular caught Minako's attention.   
'It's Higashi-senpai!' she thought to herself. 'He goes to this cram school, too!' As he   
approached her, she could feel her pulse race with anxiety. 'All right! He's going to be   
teaching me! I'm so lucky!'  
  
"So, ready to start?" Higashi asked with a small smile.  
  
"Y-y-yes!" she stammered nervously.  
  
"You've got long hair," he noted. "It's very ladylike."  
  
The comment caught her off guard. "What!?"  
  
"It would be nice if you put a ribbon on the back. A big, red ribbon."  
  
"Higashi-kun," another girl called out. "Come here a sec."  
  
"All right, Haneda," he replied as he went over to her.   
  
Minako watches as they talk. "Higashi-senpai and Haneda-senpai are in a good mood. They   
seem like a good match when they're together. Could she be his.... No! He doesn't have a   
girlfriend. Everyone says that. I'll work very hard, and I'll get him! Attack, Mina!" she   
said encouragingly to herself as she brandished a fist into the air overhead.  
  
"Aino..." a boy said. "Look at yourself. Being a rude girl will frighten Higashi-senpai   
away."  
  
She raised a fist under his nose. "What did you say!?" she growled as she jumped at the boy   
and beat him senseless.  
  
Ryoku winced in sympathy for the boy. "That really had to hurt."  
  
"Uhh...," he moaned. "She really isn't a girl...."  
  
"Higashi-senpai's leaving!" Minako muttered as she ran out of the classroom. "I never gave   
him the love letter."  
  
She halted as she spotted the white cat in the hallway in front of her. "What?!?" she   
growled in frustration. "You again! Where did you come from!? You're beginning to bug me.   
Oh no!" she exclaimed as she ran outside. "Senpai? He's gone! It's your fault." She turned   
back to see that the cat was gone. "Hey! Where'd that cat go...?"  
  
"Mina!" Hikaru called out as she and Ryoku came out after her. "Did you give it to him yet?   
The letter?"  
  
"No, I think he left already," she replied.  
  
"Too bad," Ryoku said dryly with a small shrug. "Maybe you can try again tomorrow?"  
  
"He's always got those big girls around, though, guarding him," Hikaru added. "Finding an   
opportunity might be hard."  
  
"Well, knowing Minako, she'll find a way. Na, Minako?" Ryoku replied with a smirk.  
  
**********************************************  
  
On the way home, Minako climbed over the wall next to her house. "Just a little   
shortcut...," she said to herself with a smug grin as she entered her house.  
  
"Mina!" her mom shouted as soon as she saw her. "You climbed over that wall again, didn't   
you. Your uniform is all dirty! Can't you act a little more ladylike?"  
  
She decided that she wasn't going to answer that question. "I'll be in the bath," she   
muttered flatly.  
  
After closing the bathroom door and removing all her clothes, she wrapped a towel around   
her body. "So, Higashi-senpai likes girls like Haneda-senpai." She looked at herself in the   
mirror and sighed. "Oh, I wish I could be pretty."  
  
"You can," a male voice said behind her. "Originally, you were born with the protection of   
the goddess of beauty."  
  
She whirled around and saw the white cat sitting on the windowsill behind her.  
  
"Greetings, Mina," he continued. "I am Artemis."  
  
Minako screamed and ran out of the bath and into her room, slamming the door shut behind   
her. It took her a moment to realize that she was still wrapped up in only a towel.  
  
"I don't believe this!" she growled to herself. "A cat talking and peeping at me." After   
she said that, she realized how absurd it sounded. "Is this some kind of joke?"  
  
Artemis jumped up to her window and sat down. "That was a rather extreme reaction." He then   
hopped down onto her bed. "You do adapt to things quickly. Weren't you prepared?   
  
"Anyway, Mina, inside you is a girl with the power to transform into a woman stronger and   
more beautiful than anyone. Mina, you have been chosen."  
  
"Wait a sec," Minako said, frowning in confusion. "You are a cat. So how are you talking?!?   
Are you hiding a tape or something? And I have a girl inside me? How was I chosen? And just   
where did you come from?"  
  
In response to her rapid-fire questioning, a crescent-shaped object flew at her. She deftly   
snatched it out of the air and stared down at it.  
  
"That's proof I'm not lying," Artemis said. "Just open that compact."  
  
She opened it and saw her face being reflected. There were a few differences, though. A red   
mask covered her eyes, and a crescent moon appeared on her forehead.  
  
"A crescent moon...?" she breathed in surprise. A light suddenly flashed, momentarily   
blinding her. When she regained her sight, she found herself in space, looking down at   
Earth. "This is...!"  
  
"You see?" Artemis said encouragingly. "Now you're in space. That's the planet you're   
supposed to protect. Earth."  
  
"Space?!?" she squeaked. "Earth?!?"  
  
He pointed to another planet. "That is your mother star, the fiery planet of the goddess   
Venus. Its size and weight are about the same as Earth's. It's composed of the same   
elements. Venus is called Earth's twin planet."  
  
"What's that floating over the planet?"she asked, spying a bright speck slowly orbiting   
over the surface of the planet.  
  
"Magellan," he answered. "Magellan Castle. It floats over the land of Aphrodite. It's your   
castle."  
  
"My castle?!?" It was one surprise after another with this cat....  
  
Artemis took out the pen. "Mina," the female voice spoke from the pen. "You carry the   
protection of the fiery planet. You were born to fight. You have a mission. Only you can do   
it. You have been chosen by fate, Minako."  
  
Suddenly, Minako felt a wave of dizziness hit her, causing her to fall.  
  
"Venus!" Artemis called out.  
  
"Venus?" she thought. "Who's that?"  
  
Minako suddenly sat up in bed. "Me?" she said in perplexity. "That was a strange dream."   
She got up and dressed herself, then tied a red ribbon into her hair. "When did I go to   
bed, anyway?"  
  
An envelope fell to the ground as she slipped into her school uniform. She picked it up.   
"The love letter! I forgot! Well, today I'll have to give it to him."  
  
**********************************************  
  
Higashi slowly walked to school, surrounded by girls. Another girl tried to join them, but   
got pushed away.  
  
"Get out of here, loser," one of Higashi's girls sneered.  
  
"His groupies...," Minako observed. "They're all with him again."  
  
"Heh, heh, heh...," Higashi mumbles to himself. "All these girls... Made to be my slaves."   
He took out a cellular phone and pressed a button, causing an image of a woman to appear on   
its viewscreen.  
  
"Narkissos," the woman said. "Get more and more of these brainwashed slaves, so we can rule   
this city.... No, all Japan! Make us a foothold."  
  
"I understand, Fluorite-sama," he said with a sly grin. "I will carry out your orders." He   
closed the phone, then looked up to see Artemis watching him. He smiled and walked away.  
  
Artemis still carried the pen in his mouth. "Boss," he said urgently.   
"That's...!"  
  
"It is," Boss replied.  
  
Minako runs after him. 'Mina,' she remembered Hikaru telling her. 'Ryo-kun found out that   
Higashi-senpai always eats lunch alone in the back garden. It's your chance!'  
  
'Just don't let him know that I told you,' Ryoku added. 'He was suspicious enough when he   
saw me following him.'  
  
"Thanks, Hikaru-chan! Ryo-kun!" Minako said out loud, as if they could hear her. "Now I can   
give him the love letter, and profess my love! He's got to like me. I'm even wearing a red   
ribbon. Ehehe!"  
  
Artemis jumped down from a tree in front of her, stopping her.  
  
"You should stop chasing after that guy," he told her warningly.  
  
"Who is that talking!?" she all but screamed. "Stop playing this joke on me! Get out of my   
way."  
  
"Mina," Artemis said, following her with his eyes. "Do you really not remember me?"  
  
Minako gasped as she saw Haneda walking up to where Higashi was sitting. "That's...   
Higashi-senpai and Haneda-senpai!" She was too late again.  
  
"Higashi-kun," Haneda said as she walked up to him. "Since you're so popular, I haven't   
been able to talk to you. I really...."  
  
"I really like you, too," Higashi interjected with a smile. "I think it's good you're so   
ladylike. Especially that red ribbon in your hair. I love it."  
  
The words hit Minako like a wrecking ball. 'It would be nice if you put a ribbon on the   
back,' he had told her before. 'A big, red ribbon.'  
  
She turned around and started to walk away. "Hmph. Guess I knew it all along. They love   
each other. So I won't even bother. There's plenty of guys. I'll find someone else to like."  
  
"Mina!" Artemis shouted urgently but she didn't bother to turn around.  
  
Higashi then turned into a monster and grabbed Haneda. "From now on, you will be my slave   
too! This school.... No, this city will be mine!"  
  
Minako heard a scream behind her. She rushed back, and peeked through some trees.   
"Higashi-senpai! No way! What's... that strange light?!?"  
  
Narkissos looked back and spotted Minako looking through the trees. "I see you. You, too,   
will join me. You will be my slave!"  
  
"Mina!" Artemis shouted as he tossed the pen to her. She quickly snapped it out of the air   
and glanced down at it.  
  
"Can you hear me, Mina?" says a female voice from the pen.  
  
"What!?" Minako gasped in shock.  
  
"Just call me Boss," the voice said. "There's no time for a full explanation! That guy is   
an enemy! Only you can stop him. You need to transform, defeat him, and save everyone!"  
  
"An enemy?!? Transform?!?" she asked in confusion. "I'm supposed to beat him?!? Just how   
am I going to do that!?"  
  
Narkissos raised his arm, causing waves to surround Minako.  
  
'I... can't move!' she thought. 'My mind is getting foggy....'  
  
"Mina!" Artemis shouted. "Hold up the pen! Transform! Shout, 'Moon Power Transform!'"  
  
She struggled to lift the pen overhead. "Moo... Moon Power Transform!!" Light filled her   
body. "Wh-what?!? I'm free! I'm full of power! I can feel it!"  
  
"Who are you!?" Narkissos asked warily.  
  
She appeared in a fancy sailor fuku, with a red mask over her eyes. "Codename: Sailor V!   
The soldier of justice, the sailor-suited beautiful soldier. I am Sailor Venus!"  
  
"Damn!" he growled as he pointed toward her. "Get her!!" One of the girls ran at her.   
Sailor V jumped into the air and kicked the girl, flooring her.  
  
"Senpai!?" she called out. "Come to your senses! Senpai!"  
  
"Mina!" Artemis shouted. "That guy isn't human! He's an enemy! Beat him!"  
  
Sailor V hesitated. "But...!"  
  
"You impudent fool!" Narkissos shouted, approaching her. "You will die!"  
  
"Mina!" Artemis yelled. "He'll kill you if you don't stop him! Use your crescent beam! Do   
it with your compact! You'll see his true form! His form as an enemy!"  
  
She opened the compact. "Crescent Beam!" As the compact opened, she saw a twisted face,   
destroyed by the beam of light. She gasped in shock; that was the true form of the boy she   
previously had a crush on. Stunned, she walked by all the girls lying on the ground. With   
Narkissos destroyed, they would recover soon enough.  
  
"Mina!" Artemis called out as he followed her.  
  
**********************************************  
  
Artemis looked down at Minako as she lay on her bed, fast asleep.  
  
"Boss," he said penitently to the pen, "my way of doing things was too forceful...."  
  
"Artemis," the voice replied, "from now on, you'll be Minako's partner, and you'll work   
together. She's confused. Show her the way."  
  
He jumped off of the windowsill and onto the bed, and went to her. He gently licked her   
neck, waking her.  
  
"Hey...," she said groggily. "That tickles." She turned over and lifted him up. "Oh, it's   
you."  
  
"Artemis," he said. "Call me Artemis."  
  
"Okay... Artemis."  
  
"Can I open the window?" he asked. "There's a beautiful full moon. You need to put the   
compact in the full moon's light to charge it."  
  
After Minako placed Artemis back onto the windowsill, she got back into bed. Artemis sat on   
the windowsill, watching her again.  
  
"Good night, Mina. Sweet dreams."  
  
**********************************************  
  
"All right," Minako said after getting dressed. "This ribbon is nice after all." It   
complemented her preferred hairstyle and it did make her seem more ladylike. She idly   
wondered if Ryoku would notice that she was keeping her hair ribbon. He did say that he   
liked it when he first saw it. Oddly, it made her feel better hearing Ryoku say that he   
liked how she looked with the ribbon than when Higashi said it. With her new ribbon tied   
into her hair, she left her house and walked to school. Artemis sat outside, waiting for   
her.  
  
"Morning, Mina," he greeted.  
  
"Good morning, Artemis," she replied pleasantly.  
  
"Good morning, Minako-san," Ryoku called out as he walked up to her. "Hey, isn't that the   
white cat that kept appearing around you?" he asked when he spotted Artemis. "Did you   
decide to adopt him or something?"  
  
She grinned as a thought came to her. "Yeah, I guess so," she replied. "His name's Artemis."  
  
"Morning, Artemis," he said to the cat. "I'm Kino Ryoku, a friend of your mistress." A   
thought occured to him. "Minako-san, did you hear that Higashi-senpai got transferred   
again? Something about a family emergency, so he couldn't even show up at school today to   
check out."  
  
She was about to reply to that when she heard someone calling her name. "Mina!" Hikaru   
called out as she ran to Minako. "Hey! Look at this book!" She showed Minako a page with a   
teenage boy on it. "See! It's a new idol. Now, I don't normally go for this idol stuff, but   
this boy is just so hot! Uhh... Mina?"  
  
Minako all but buried her face into the magazine. "He's so cool!!" She handed it back to   
Hikaru and walked off. "I'm right! This world is still full of cool guys! So I've decided.   
I'll study hard, and I'll go to that guy's concert!"  
  
Artemis sighed as Ryoku glanced over at him. "Don't worry about Minako-san, Artemis," he   
told him as if he expected the cat to understand what he was saying. Not that Artemis was   
about to tell him that he could understand him, anyway. "She may act strange at times, but   
she's a wonderful girl. You just have to get used to her."  
  
Artemis rolled his eyes. 'Get used to her?' he thought to himself. 'I'll have to. I'm her   
partner.' He looked over at Ryoku consideringly. 'Strange... I feel as if I should know   
this boy....'  
  
**********************************************  
  
Short Author's Note: Yeah, I know Minako's supposed to be Sailor Venus, but remember, this   
is from the Codename wa Sailor V manga, which has her using the phrase 'Moon power   
transform!' for Sailor V.  
  
Disclaimer: All original materials belong to their respective owners. Sailor Moon belongs   
to Naoko Takeuchi and a bunch of big companies. No copyright infringement is intended. This   
story belongs me, so I would appreciate it very much if you would ask for permission before   
posting it anywhere else. Thank you.  
  
The Question and all stories included are:  
Copyright © July 6, 2001 Jason C. Ulloa.   
Manga translation by Alex Glover © 1996  
All Rights Reserved. 


	4. Chapter 3

Alone No More: Minako's Story  
by Jason C. Ulloa  
  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Minako walked down the street, paying only half of a mind to whatever Artemis was telling   
her. Lately, he had been trying to get her to take her Sailor V role more seriously, but   
she just didn't feel ready for it yet.  
  
"She's quite far from a justice fighter," he muttered irritably to himself when he saw that   
she wasn't paying much attention to him anymore. "She can be a beauty or a beast at times."  
  
"Who's a beast!?" she retorted. "Artemis! Actually, I haven't decided if I want to be a   
soldier of justice yet."  
  
"What?!?" he exclaimed in disbelief. "You've been chosen! You're the only one who can do   
it! What's wrong with it!?"  
  
"First," she began, "that suit! It's a costume. It's not cool. I can't use it for normal   
stuff. I don't like it. Oh, excuse me, Artemis. I'm going to the game center!" She turned   
and walked into the Crown Game Center.  
  
"Hey, Mina-chan!" Motoki greeted. He usually worked at the arcade. She had just recently   
developed another crush, this time for him.  
  
She grinned. "Hi, o-nii-san!" she said cheerily with a wave as she entered.  
  
"Mina acts like a boy," Artemis continued tiredly to himself. "She loves video games and   
she's the only girl who comes here." He watched as she rapidly hit buttons on the game she   
was playing. The game occasionally emitted phrases such as "Shoryuken!" and "Hadouken!" as   
she played.  
  
"She's rude," he continued, "she's quarrelsome and she eats a lot. But she does have good   
reflexes."  
  
"Oh, you're one to talk!" she countered as she finished her game. "You're some transsexual   
cat!"  
  
"A transsexual!?" he repeated quizzically.  
  
"Well, Artemis is a girls' name, isn't it?" she replied. "She was the virgin hunting   
goddess and the goddess of the moon, Artemis, and had the solar god Apollo for a brother."  
  
"Mina, that's amazing!" he said in amazement. "Where'd you...."  
  
"From this game!" she said as she pointed to one of the game machines.  
  
Artemis sweatdropped. "Mina!" he shouted in frustration. "Haven't you spent enough time at   
the game center! You need to go home, so you can study to be a soldier of justice!"  
  
She quickly covered up his mouth. "You bozo!" she growled to the white cat. "You're going   
to let everyone know you can talk! Now, shut up!" She released his mouth then went to   
another video game. "Hey, all right. This is the game I came to play. I'm going to get the   
high score!"  
  
"'Lovely Fight'?" Artemis said, reading the game's label. "An action game? Are those   
exciting?"  
  
"Yeah!" Minako replied. "This woman fighter has a reinforced suit, see? Isn't it cool!" She   
stopped talking as she began to concentrate on the game. She made her character jump,   
block, and attack with a series of punches, kicks, and special moves, occasionally linking   
some of her attacks to perform combination attacks. "Oh, come on!" she growled as she lost   
one match. "I didn't beat that guy. See, look," she said to Artemis as she pointed to the   
machine's screen. "If you get a high score, you get to enter your name on the rankings   
screen."  
  
"And it looks like you've just made second place, Minako-san," Ryoku said as he walked up   
to her and glanced onto the rankings screen. "Very impressive."  
  
Minako glanced at the rankings screen to see that her score was indeed ranked second. Right   
above her name, sitting there as if mocking her....  
  
"Oh, that 'Taku' guy! He's always got the highest score!" she huffed, folding her arms   
across her chest.  
  
"Don't be upset, Minako-san," he repiled with a small grin. "Maybe with a little more   
practice you'll finally get the top score."  
  
"What about you, Ryo-kun?" she asked. "I don't see your name up here. Don't tell me you   
don't play video games," she teased.  
  
Ryoku rolled his eyes and snorted in amusement. "Of course I play," he retorted. "I'm just   
very picky about which games I play. My favorite is over there," he said, pointing over his   
shoulder with his thumb at a machine near the middle of the arcade. "If you've played it,   
you'll notice that I have the top score. And by a wide margin, too."  
  
"Oh, really?" she countered with a challenging grin. "Maybe we should see if I can't knock   
that score from its number one spot."  
  
"First game's on me, Minako-san," he replied. "I wanna see you try to beat my score, as   
improbable as it is."  
  
"You're on!" she agreed as the two went to play the game. Artemis watched them with a   
chagrined expression on his face, then sighed again.  
  
**********************************************  
  
The next day, Minako decided to go back to the game center. That game she played with Ryoku   
yesterday was fun - she was chagrined to discover that she couldn't beat his score, but she   
did come dangerously close; much to his surprise - but this time she had a mission. Beat   
Taku's score in Lovely Fight. "Okay, today I'll do it!" she stated confidently as she sat   
down at the machine and began to play.  
  
"No!" she growled as she finished her game. "Taku is still first place!? With forty   
thousand points!? And I just got twenty thousand... Damn it!" she cursed, all but jumping   
out of her seat and smacking the machine. "Come on! Who is this guy?!?"  
  
She noticed a boy and a girl together at a UFO catcher located further behind her. "Oh... I   
always come here by myself...," she sighed to herself. Yesterday was the only time that   
someone had joined her while she played.  
  
"What's that smell?" a man with long, dark hair observed to himself. "Smells like... floral   
hair mousse. That sailor uniform. Long, straight hair...."  
  
"Hey! O-nii-san!" she called out as soon as she noticed her favorite arcade worker.  
  
"Shrill voice.... She doesn't belong here. This game center is supposed to be a castle for   
lonely boys. But still, couples have been coming here like mollusks. They play all the   
cutesy games. And now, a girl is coming here by herself!"  
  
The girl at the UFO catcher pulled on the sleeve of the guy she was with. "Hey, Akihiro!   
Come on, get me an Aru-chan doll!"  
  
"Oh...," the guy said with a grimace at the doll sitting in the machine. "I'm no good at   
that...."  
  
Minako quickly shoved a coin into the machine and deftly picked up the Aru-chan doll with   
the crane. She took it out and walked away.  
  
"Wow!" the girl marveled in awe. "She got it in one try!"  
  
"That girl!" the man said to himself in surprise. "She's too good!"  
  
"Games, eh?" Artemis said consideringly, as he carried the pen in his mouth and glanced at   
the machine. "Training as a soldier of justice.... If she doesn't remember it, maybe that   
could teach her...."  
  
"You could use Mina's favorite game," a female voice said from pen. "That might be a good   
idea."  
  
"Yes, Boss. I'll do that."  
  
**********************************************  
  
The next morning, when Motoki opened up the arcade, he found a box waiting for him inside.   
"Hey, what are those?" he wondered as he examined the box. There was no address. Curiousity   
piqued, he opened the box. "Posters? Guess I'm supposed to put them up." That must be why   
there was no address. The owners of the arcade would have no reason to mail the posters to   
him; they'd just leave them for him to put up.  
  
Posters soon lined the wall of the game center. They had a picture of Sailor V and said,   
"Coming soon!! Sailor V, the ultimate action game." As soon as they went up, some kids   
stopped to stare at them.  
  
"The Sailor V game?" one kid said.  
  
"Who's Sailor V?" another kid asked.  
  
"I've never heard of her," a third added.  
  
Ryoku walked up, noticed the crowd of children, and wondered what had gotten their   
attention. The posted quickly caught his attention as well. "Looks interesting," he mused   
to himself as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "The girl looks slightly familiar,   
though...."  
  
**********************************************  
  
That night, Artemis dragged a big box by a cord. He stopped for a moment to take a rest.   
"This should be okay," he said, breathing heavily. "I even got an official tag on it." He   
picked up the cord again and resumed dragging. At the rate he was going, though, it would   
take a good deal of the night to bring the machine to its destination....  
  
The next morning greeted Motoki with yet another anonymous delivery. "What's this box?" he   
wondered as he opened the box. "Looks like a new game's been delivered," he discovered   
after removing the covering.  
  
He glanced around the arcade for a place to put the machine. "Ah. That'll do," he said as   
he proceeded to shove the game to an empty spot near the center of the arcade.  
  
Later that day, Minako once again walked into the arcade. At once, she spotted the new   
game. "A Sailor V game?!?" she exclaimed in shock.  
  
"Oh, Mina-chan," Motoki said as he walked up to her. "Yeah, that's a new game we got."  
  
"I don't believe it!" She immediately sat down and started to play. "Oh, I lost!"  
  
"Oh, you're not serious," Artemis said as he padded over to Minako and sat down. She   
ignored the white cat started to play again.  
  
Two guys went up to Motoki. "Hey, that stupid girl keeps playing Sailor V!" one guy   
complained. "We want to play, too. Why isn't there another one?"  
  
"I don't know where that game came from," he admitted with a shrug. He had also wondered   
why there wasn't another one. After all, why put up so many posters and only set up one   
game?  
  
"Good, good!" Artemis said encouragingly. "You're getting better, Mina."  
  
"You think?" she said, turning toward him. "No matter what I do, there doesn't seem to be   
an end to the game. I can't find a pattern to it. It's hard."  
  
"You decide when the game ends, Mina," he said cryptically.  
  
She blinked for a moment in perplexity. "Me?" she asked, tilting her head questioningly.  
  
"Talking to Artemis, Minako-san?" a male voice asked behind her.  
  
Artemis' eyes bulged in shock as he realized that he never heard nor noticed the boy walk   
up to them. He could've heard him talking!  
  
"Oh! Ryo-kun!" she said in surprise. He had caught her off-guard as well. "Hi!"  
  
"I see you've noticed the new game, ne?" he said with an impish smirk. "Tell me,   
Minako-san, exactly how long do you plan on playing the Sailor V game? After all, a line's   
beginning to start," he said, nodding behind him.  
  
She looked behind Ryoku and saw two boys staring at her. She jumped up and grinned   
sheepishly. "Oh, you want to play? Please, go ahead! I've been hogging it."  
  
"So, Minako-san," he began as the two boys started playing the Sailor V game, "how was it?   
Pretty good?"  
  
"It was hard," she said as she went to another game. "Hey, I know! Now I'll try playing   
Lovely Fight again!"  
  
"Going for number one again?" he asked with an amused grin. "Well, I hope you don't mind if   
I watch. Good luck!"  
  
"Thanks, Ryo-kun!" she said with a smile as she started to play. "Yes! I can do it!" Thanks   
to the 'training' she received while playing the Sailor V game, she started to find that   
the game was much eaiser this time. "I'm getting a great score! Beating these guys is easy!   
Yes! Fifty-nine thousand points! All right! I topped Taku! First place! I'm the best!"  
  
"Congratulations, Minako-san!" Ryoku crowed happily as he gave his friend a congraulatory   
hug. "I knew you'd make it eventually."  
  
The man from before suddenly stood up in the corner of the game center. "What was that!?"   
he demanded loudly.  
  
"Huh?" Minako said bewilderedly. "Who's that?"  
  
"Oh," Motoki said dismissively, "those guys come here all the time. They're kind of shady,   
but they have a game lovers' group."  
  
"Really...," Ryoku said with little interest.  
  
The man with long, dark hair walked over to them and stood in front of Minako. "So,   
Mina-chan, you've beaten Gamer Taku. Well that's me, Otaku Takuro!"  
  
"My heart be still," Ryoku murmured dryly. Minako had to work to stifle a giggle, but   
Takuro didn't notice.  
  
"You can't fool me!" he continued. "That long hair, high voice, and sailor uniform! Show me   
who you really are!" he demanded, pointing an accusing finger at Minako, almost touching   
her between her breasts. "Come on! Take off those clothes! You're really a guy!"  
  
Ryoku facefaulted and sweatdropped. 'Kami-sama, but this guy must be blind AND stupid!!!'  
  
"What?!?" Minako exclaimed as she backed away from him. As soon as Ryoku recovered enough   
to step between her and Takuro, she ran away from him. "Artemis!! Who is that!?" she said   
as soon as she was a safe distance away.  
  
"Hmm...," Artemis mused. "He could be an enemy...."  
  
"No," the female voice from the pen said. "I think he's just a normal game maniac. There's   
nothing you can do. Use the compact! It has the power to change you into a person of any   
age, personality, occupation or class. Give that guy the slip!"  
  
Minako's expression brightened. "I can change into anything? Really!?" She tossed up the   
compact. "Crescent Moon Power Transform! Change me into the squadron heroine-like armored   
woman soldier!" In a flash of light, she appeared in battle gear like the character in   
Lovely Fight. "Look! Look! Artemis! I got an armored suit!"  
  
"Minako-san!" she heard Ryoku shout from a distance. His voice sounded like he was running   
towards her. "He slipped past me! He coming straight for you! Run!"  
  
"Wow! That's amazing!" said Takuro as soon as he spotted the disguised Minako. "You look   
like you came right off the screen!" Apparently, he seemed to have forgotten all about   
Minako in favor of what he saw in front of him. "All right! Now this is what I've been   
looking for!"  
  
Before she could ask exactly what he meant by that statement, he quickly jumped on her,   
knocking her to the floor with him on top of her.  
  
"Hey! You pervert!" she growled.  
  
"Ha ha!"  
  
"Hey!" Ryoku shouted as he arrived, and skidded to a stop. He took one look at the scene...   
and sweatdropped. "Anou... I could come back later if you two are busy...," he began.  
  
"You baka!" she shouted. "Get him off me!"  
  
"Eh? Uh... all right, no problem," he said as he tried to pry Takuro off of her. "Shimatta!   
No good; he's stuck tight. Strong little...."  
  
"It's heavy...," she grunted as she struggled to free herself. "I can't move! This armor is   
so heavy!"  
  
"At least it's offering a little protection from hentai-boy," he said with a shrug.  
  
"I don't believe this...," Artemis muttered in exasperation.  
  
Minako grabbed her pen. "Moon Power Transform!" she shouted, transforming into Sailor V in   
a flash of light, and knocking Takuro off her in the process. "Codename: Sailor V! I'm the   
soldier of justice, the sailor-suited beautiful soldier Sailor Venus!" She paused as she   
took the time to move her arms and legs. "Ah, now this is light. It's easy to move in this   
costume."  
  
"Sailor V!?" a patron of the arcade gasped. "The Sailor V from the game!?"  
  
"That's Sailor V?" Ryoku marveled as he stared at the vision of beauty in front of him.   
"Incredible.... And, yet... she reminds me of someone...."  
  
'This feels great!' she thought to herself as she soaked up the admiration, especially the   
gaze of awe she saw on Ryoku's face. 'I won't give up this soldier of justice job.'  
  
Takuro took that moment to lift up the back of Sailor V's skirt. "Wow! You're really   
maturing! What's in here?"  
  
"What are you doing?!?!?" she yelled angrily. "Hentai! Sailor V Kick!!!" She kicked him in   
the head, sending him flying backward onto the ground.  
  
Ryoku winced in sympathy. "Nice hang-time... and I think I saw him bounce about an inch....   
That really had to hurt."  
  
"Whoops!" she gasped. "I don't think he was an enemy...."  
  
"Even though he did sorta deserve it...," Ryoku added.  
  
Artemis groaned in vexation. "Mina...."  
  
"Let's get out of here!" she shouted as she ran away.  
  
"For being so stubborn and flashy," Artemis said as he ran, "she sure is quick to run away.   
I wonder if she's really suited for this...."  
  
'Hey... isn't that Minako-san's cat, Artemis?' Ryoku thought as he spotted the crescent   
moon on his forehead. 'I wonder what he's doing following Sailor V...?'  
  
"Wow...," Motoki said as he watched Sailor V run away. "The game's Sailor V showed up. A   
soldier of justice... That's some PR campaign!"  
  
**********************************************  
  
Disclaimer: All original materials belong to their respective owners. Sailor Moon belongs   
to Naoko Takeuchi and a bunch of big companies. No copyright infringement is intended. This   
story belongs me, so I would appreciate it very much if you would ask for permission before   
posting it anywhere else. Thank you.  
  
The Question and all stories included are:  
Copyright © July 6, 2001 Jason C. Ulloa.   
Manga translation by Alex Glover © 1996  
All Rights Reserved. 


	5. Chapter 4

Alone No More: Minako's Story  
by Jason C. Ulloa  
  
  
Chapter 4  
  
"Wow!" Minako exclaimed excitedly. "It's the idol Pandora! She's debuting tonight on   
Channel 44!" She looked around at the posters on the wall. "At the opening of the shopping   
center. I want one of these posters! Pandora's so pretty!" She hurriedly glanced around to   
see if anyone was nearby. "Oh, I'll just take one. They have plenty of them!" She quickly   
pulled one of the posters off the wall, rolled it up, and stuck it into the basket in front   
of the bike she was riding... right next to Artemis.  
  
"Mina!" Artemis chided. "You don't have time for this while there is still no peace in the   
world."  
  
"Stupid!" she growled, covering his mouth as she noticed people coming their way. "Shh!   
Shh!"  
  
The people looked at them in surprise. "Hey, the cat talked! That's some trick!" Minako   
grinned and waved as she pedaled away.  
  
She waited until she was clear before turning back to Artemis. "Don't worry about the   
poster, Artemis."  
  
Artemis unrolled and read the poster. "Hmm...," he murmured to himself. "Pandora's 24-hour   
idol show starts on Channel 44."  
  
A boy suddenly stepped out in front of her. "Hey, Mina-san!"  
  
"Watch out!!" she shouted as she swerved and crashed her bike into the wall of a nearby   
building. "Oh no! My poster's in the gutter...," she lamented as she spotted the poster;   
soaking wet and completely ruined.  
  
"Hey, Mina-san," the boy said as he walked up to her. "I was looking for you."  
  
"Minako-san, are you okay?" Ryoku asked as he ran up to her. "I saw you crash into that   
wall." He then turned to the boy and frowned slightly. "You know, that wasn't exactly the   
smartest thing to do, Amano-kun. I mean," he continued as he lifted the ruined posted out   
of the water by one corner, "look what happened to Minako-san's poster."  
  
"Amano!" Minako growled softly to herself as she watched Ryoku drop the poster back to   
where he picked it up. She often wished that nerd didn't have a crush on her.  
  
"Well, at any rate, come on! Let's go to cram school," Amano said undauntedly as he turned   
and headed off to cram school.  
  
"Amano, you baka!" Minako growled under her breath.  
  
"Mina!" Hikaru said urgently as she dashed past everyone. "Come on, hurry! School's going   
to start!"  
  
"Ara!" Ryoku muttered apprehensively. "Come on, Minako-san. We'd better go." Before he   
dashed off, he quickly righted her bike and handed her the handlebars. "Be careful next   
time. I don't want to see you crash into any more walls." He gave a small laugh. "Of   
course, all you have to do is avoid Amano-kun." He then turned and ran off, leaving her to   
stare at his retreating back.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Hey!" the teacher shouted as Minako entered the room. "Aino Minako! About time you got   
here!"  
  
"Well, at least I am here," she retorted. "I had to bring this poster with me from the   
shopping center!" As evidence, she brandished a rolled up poster in her right hand,   
identical to the one she got the first time... before Amano had a hand in ruining it.  
  
"The shopping center?!?" the teacher exclaimed. "So, that's why you're late! As punishment,   
you're going to have to do fifty extra English problems by yourself."  
  
"What!?" she shouted angrily. "But...!!" She irritably stomped over to her seat and   
furiously sat herself down in it, while taking out her English book.   
  
"Oh...," she moaned piteously. "How can I do all this...." She looked around, then pulled   
out her magic pen. "Hehe! With this pen, I can do English, math, anything!" She wrote down   
an English dialogue easily with the pen.  
  
"That was fast!" Ryoku noted as he bent over and examined her work. "And perfectly done,   
too. I'm impressed! And here I thought that you might want a little bit of help-" A   
mischevous smile crossed his face. "-without letting the teacher know, of course. Oh, well.   
Guess I was wrong. You don't need my help, after all. Well, I'll leave you to it, then," he   
said, then left.  
  
"Hey! Mina!" Artemis whispered after Ryoku left. "You're supposed to use that pen to bring   
peace to the world!"  
  
"World peace!?" the teacher repeated while walking up to them.  
  
"Nothing, teacher!" Minako quickly answered while quickly glancing pointedly at Artemis.  
  
'This is a very, very important pen,' she thought as she contemplatively studied the pen.   
'If I lost it, I'd be in real trouble. When I found Artemis, he gave me this pen and the   
crescent moon compact. It reflects true forms. Such a fabulous compact.' She pulled out the   
compact and opened it, seeing her reflection with a mask over her eyes and a crescent moon   
on her forehead.  
  
Her reflection as Sailor V.  
  
"All right!" a girl shouted as soon as class ended and everybody started to leave. "Today's   
the day!"  
  
"Mina!" Hikaru shouted as she rushed up to her. Ryoku followed behind at a more leisurely   
pace.  
  
"What? What?" Minako replied, curious at her friend's behavior.  
  
"It starts tonight on Channel 44!" Hikaru exclaimed. "You gonna watch?"  
  
"Of course!" she said. "Look! I got a poster!"  
  
"So, you got a replacement for the one that was ruined earlier," Ryoku observed, glancing   
at the poster.  
  
A boy looked at the poster Minako was holding. "Pandora's only appearing on Channel 44.   
She's an idol? I've never seen an idol that pretty! She's an instant sensation."  
  
"Look!" another boy pointed out. "She's going to give signed CD's to all the boys who go to   
the studio to support her!"  
  
"Really?" Ryoku asked in a less than enthusiastic voice. Minako remembered him saying that   
he wasn't very interested in idols. Perhaps he'd be the only boy not going....  
  
"I'm going!" one boy stated.  
  
"Me too! Me too!" another boy stated.  
  
"That's cool!" a third boy chimed in.  
  
"So what?" Ryoku murmured boredly almost to himself.  
  
"Channel 44 is broadcast on satellite," Hikaru told them. "Great! We just bought a BS tuner   
for our TV!"  
  
"What!?" Minako exclaimed. "Oh no! I don't have one! A tuner or an antenna!"  
  
"That's too bad," Amano said as he walked up. "Well, at the same time, Channel 44 is   
rebroadcast through the CS satellite. You can't watch it with a normal BS antenna."  
  
"Huh? What are you talking about?"  
  
"You can find some interesting stuff with computers," he continued. "It's none of my   
business, but...."  
  
"Hey, did you hear?" another boy shouted as he rushed up to the group. "Channel 44 has a   
commemorative service for the premiere! They've been handing out antennas around the city   
today. When you go home, you'll all see them."  
  
"Really!?" Minako asked.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Hurry, Dad, hurry!" Minako cried impaitently. "It's starting!"  
  
"Just a minute," he said. "Be patient. It's not connected. This antenna's wiring is   
tricky." He looked at the TV screen and frowned. "Oh no, it's not showing."  
  
"Come on, Dad!" Minako shouted. "Fix it!"  
  
"Mina!" her mom shouted disapprovingly. "Television, television. Stop whining! If you don't   
study, you'll be just like your dad, without success in life!"  
  
'Ohh...,' thinks Minako. 'I'll have to hear what happens from Hikaru-chan.' She stared   
despondently at the poster taped to her wall.  
  
"Mom, call an electrician about the TV wiring," Minako said the next morning.  
  
"Okay, okay," she reassured her daughter. Minako nodded gratefully and left.  
  
Her mom picked up the newspaper and started to read. "Channel 44, huh?" She started to read   
an article related to the station Minako was trying to watch yesterday. 'Boys who came to   
the studio were presented with signed CD's!' "What!?" she exclaimed. "Only boys?" She read   
on. 'Ladies were given diamond rings!' Her eyes widened in surprise. "Wow, I didn't see   
that...."  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Oh no!" Minako shouted as she darted through the hallway. "I'm late! I'm late!" She ran   
into the classroom, expecting to be berated for being late again. What she saw surprised   
her. It was empty, except for a few students.  
  
"Hey, Mina-san!" Amano called out as he waved to her.  
  
"Hey, what's going on?" she asked Ryoku as she sat down next to him. "Are these the only   
people here? Did everyone catch colds?"  
  
Ryoku shrugged. "Don't know. I'm just as surprised as you are."  
  
"Ryoku-san and I are the only boys who came!" Amano exclaimed.  
  
Minako looked at the girls who were there. "Hmm.... Everyone looks weird."   
  
"I know," Ryoku replied. "Mentally, they don't seem to be entirely there, if you know what   
I mean."  
  
Just then, the teacher entered the room. "Hey, teacher!" Minako shouted, trying to get the   
teacher's attention.  
  
"Class...," he said in a dull monotone, "...doesn't matter as long as you watch TV...."  
  
"Nan da?" Ryoku exclaimed, perplexed at the teacher's statement.  
  
'TV!?' Minako thought to herself, then noticed the teacher's vacant look. 'He looks   
strange, too!' She glanced out the window and spotted a familiar someone. "Hey, that's...   
Hikaru-chan!?" she said as she ran outside.   
  
"Hikaru-san?" Ryoku repeated and followed Minako outside.  
  
"Hikaru-chan!" Minako shouted as she caught up with her. "What's wrong!?"  
  
"Are you all right?" Ryoku asked concernedly.  
  
"You don't have to study or work...," Hikaru said vacantly as she stared out at nothing.  
  
"Nani yo?!?" both Ryoku and Minako exclaimed in confusion. She tried to slip away but Ryoku   
managed to catch her by the arm before she got away.  
  
"Wait, Hikaru-san," he said urgently. "We want to know what's wrong with you. Hikaru-san!"  
  
"Let me go! I have to go home...," she said as she struggled in Ryoku's grip, "...to watch   
TV."  
  
"TV?!?" Ryoku exclaimed incredulously.   
  
"TV?" Minako mused aloud. "That's what the teacher said... Hikaru-chan!"  
  
In his surprise, Ryoku's grip relaxed enough to permit Hikaru to slip out of his grasp and   
run away. "Hikaru-san!" he shouted as he chased after the girl. "Hikaru-san, wait!"  
  
Seeing that Ryoku would take care of Hikaru, Minako decided to go back home. Maybe Artemis   
would have some advice for her. 'Weird....' she thought as she walked down the street. 'The   
shopping center's so quiet. Not a single person walking around.'  
  
A short time later, she arrived at her house. "Mom?" she called out as she entered. "Mom,   
you home?" Upon entering the living room, she noticed her mom watching static on the   
television.  
  
"What the?!?" Minako exclaimed as a fierce pounding suddenly started in her head. "My head   
hurts.... Mom, please, turn off the TV...." That's when she spotted the weird energy waves   
emanating from the antenna that she had recently brought home to watch Channel 44.   
"What...? These are like supersonic waves...." She stepped in front of the television,   
holding her head painfully. "Mom!"  
  
"Shut up!" her mom said as she knocked her away. "Don't bother me!!" She continued to stare   
at the TV, watching only the static.  
  
"Mom!!" Minako shouted, trying to pry her mother's attention from the TV. "What's   
happening?" She glanced over at the TV. "What's she watching?" she wondered as she observed   
nothing but snow on the screen. "I just see static!"  
  
"Mina!" Artemis shouted as he rushed up to her. "Emergency orders from the boss!"  
  
She was too preoccupied with her mother that she failed to note the faint beeping sound   
emanating from her pocket. She quickly took out the beeping pen and pulled out an antenna   
from the top. "Yes, this is Mina!"  
  
"Mina!" the female voice said. "This is a state of emergency! Right now, all the people in   
the city... no, all Japan is being brainwashed!"  
  
"Brainwashed!?" Minako exclaimed in shock.  
  
"The idol Pandora is just a guise," Boss continued. "She's an incarnate devil plotting   
world conquest! Mina! You must wipe out Pandora and eliminate Channel 44's brainwashing   
waves at once!"  
  
"Understood!" Minako replied.  
  
"Storm Channel 44!" Artemis shouted as they ran outside.  
  
"Mina-san!" Amano called out, waving. "Hey!"  
  
'Huh!? Amano!!' she thinks. 'Oh! He was probably playing video games and didn't see the TV   
show, so he's safe! But if he follows me, he'll be a burden.'  
  
She quickly sped off, leaving Amano behind, chasing after her. What she failed to notice   
was that after turning one of the corners on her way to the Channel 44 studio, she quickly   
passed by Ryoku, who was at that moment looking for her.  
  
'She didn't even see me,' he noted as he started after her. 'Where is she going in such a   
hurry?'  
  
**********************************************  
  
"No way," the Channel 44 security guard replied as he stepped in front of the door.   
"They're broadcasting now! Nobody can enter but those who are involved."  
  
"But...!" Minako pleaded.  
  
"Damn," Artemis muttered. "After we came all the way here."  
  
Minako walked away, then darted behind a building and pulled out her compact. "Let's go!"   
she exclaimed as she opened it up. "Crescent Moon Power, Transform! Change me into a   
policewoman!!" She quickly appeared in a police uniform.  
  
"I'm here to patrol the building," she said as she walked back to the same guard.  
  
"Yes," the security guard complied as he stepped aside. "Please, enter."  
  
Minako went inside the building. "Hehe, it worked!" she laughed. "Now, this is the foyer.   
The studio must be that way."  
  
"Mina!" Amano called out as he walked past the door Minako entered, still searching for   
her. "Where are you!?"  
  
Ryoku stepped out from behind another building with a contemplative expression on his face.   
'That was Artemis again, but this time with a policewoman,' he thought to himself. 'Hmm....   
The last time I saw Artemis with another person besides Minako was when he was trailing   
behind Sailor V.... Could that policewoman be Sailor V in disguise?' He eyed the security   
guard warily. 'I have to find a way in.... There!'  
  
He quickly darted over to a window that was cracked open slightly. He opened the window,   
peered in cautiously, then climbed in, closing the window behind him.  
  
'Why am I doing this, anyway?' he wondered to himself as he began searching for any sign of   
the policewoman and Artemis. 'I mean, why do I feel so... compelled to find Sailor V? And   
what will I do when I find her?'  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Pandora's not here," Minako noted as she entered her dressing room. There was something   
about her room, though.... "Look, Artemis," she pointed out.  
  
"Strange," Artemis agreed, seeing the same thing she saw. "All the mirrors here have been   
taken down."  
  
Meanwhile, Amano was still outside, looking for a way in. "Mina-san has to be here   
somewhere," he said. Just then, an unguarded side door caught his eye. "Maybe in there," he   
said as he made his way to the door and slipped inside.  
  
Pandora stood on stage and sang to her enthralled audience. "You don't have to study or   
work. Nope, it's bad. Only listen to me, the prettiest in the world. Everyone, everyone, be   
my slaves." The group of boys stared at her, brainwashed by her siren's song.  
  
After her song, she walked off stage and grabbed a towel as she shed her illusionary image.   
"I'm taking a break. Heh... I will control this country. The beautiful Pandora." She turned   
and saw Amano behind her. He screamed in terror as he witnessed her hideous face.  
  
She smiled devilishly. "I... see... you...," she snarled as she grabbed him by the collar   
and began to brainwash him as well.  
  
"Help!" he cried out in fear. "Mina-san!"  
  
"You saw my true face...," Pandora murmured dangerously.  
  
"Help me!! Mina-saaan!!"  
  
"Amano-kun!!!" Ryoku shouted as he ran up to them. He skidded to a halt as he saw who had   
Amano by the collar. "Wha...! A monster!!" he exclaimed in shock. The momentary surprise   
lasted for a moment as he went into a offensive fighting crouch.  
  
"All right, you!" he shouted warningly. "Let him go!"  
  
Pandora glanced at Ryoku and smirked. "Another one has seen my true face...," she growled.   
"I will have to take care of you as well."  
  
"Like hell!" Ryoku yelled as he darted forward and leaped, kicking her in the face as he   
passed.  
  
"You!!!" she screamed, flinging Amano away like a doll. He flew across the room and hit the   
wall on the other side of the room. He slid down to the floor, unconscious.  
  
"You!!!" she screamed again, putting a hand to her face. "How DARE you touch my beautiful   
face! No one touches my beautiful face!!!"  
  
"Beautiful?" Ryoku scoffed. "Only a blind dog would find you beautiful!" he replied as he   
rushed at Pandora.  
  
"Now you insult me?!?" she growled as she swiped at Ryoku. He tried to duck under her   
attack, but she was too fast as she backhanded him, knocking him on his back a few feet   
away. She darted forward and grabbed him by his collar, putting him in the same position as   
Amano was moments before. "I should kill you, but instead I will make you my slave and have   
you beg me to spare your worthless life." She proceeded to attempt to put Ryoku under her   
influence. Ryoku gave every effort to resist, even though he was still dazed by her last   
attack.  
  
"Crescent Boomerang!"  
  
A boomerang hit the woman, stunning her. Minako then took out her gun and pointed it at   
her. "Take your hands off him, Pandora!" she yelled angrily. She couldn't believe what she   
had seen eariler: Ryoku was actually here, fighting the monster that she was supposed to be   
fighting! He had rescued Amano before she could reach him, and now he was the one who   
needed to be rescued.  
  
"Who're you!?" Pandora demanded angrily.  
  
'Sailor V?' Ryoku wondered to himself, seeing the policewoman that he had originally set   
out to find.  
  
"Saying you don't have to study or work is outrageous! You sent out those brainwashing   
waves, but I won't let you do it anymore, Pandora!!" Minako stated.  
  
"Who are you!?"  
  
"Moon Power Transform!" Minako lifted her pen up and appeared in a sailor suit. "Codename:   
Sailor V! The soldier of justice, the sailor-suited beautiful soldier, I am Sailor Venus!"  
  
"Sailor V!" Ryoku exclaimed in relief. He quickly took advantage of Pandora's shock to kick   
free from her grasp. Now free from her hold, he made his way over to Sailor V and stood by   
her side.  
  
"What are you doing, Ryo-kun?" she whispered aside to him in an urgent tone. "Get out of   
here! I'll handle this."  
  
'Ryo-kun?' he thought to himself. 'Only my friends call me Ryo-kun. I must know who Sailor   
V really is.... Wait. There's no way.... It can't be her!'  
  
"What!?" Pandora exclaimed. "You weren't affected?" She then looked Sailor V up and down.   
"The sailor-suited beautiful soldier?" she scoffed derisively. "Don't make me laugh! My   
slaves! Get her!" At Pandora's order, the group of brainwashed boys slowly began to   
approach Sailor V.  
  
'What should I do? I can't kill everyone. I have to undo the brainwashing!'  
  
"Don't worry, Sailor V," he replied confidently. "I'll help you out." Both Ryoku and Sailor   
V started to kick the attacking boys, knocking them away. Undaunted, they stood back up and   
came at them again. "Artemis!" she called out worriedly. "They're like zombies! They won't   
stop!"  
  
"Heh, heh," Pandora laughed. "She's going to use all her energy before she gets to me, even   
with that boy's help."  
  
'All the mirrors here have been taken down,' Artemis suddenly remembered. "A mirror!" he   
shouted. "Reflect her true form with the compact!"  
  
Sailor V quickly took out the compact and opened it, shining Pandora's hideous reflection   
back at her.  
  
"Ohh...." Pandora moaned, flinching as if in pain. "My reflection.... No... I'm the   
century's prettiest model! My gathered slaves.... My dream of world conquest...."  
  
"...is over," Ryoku stated as he shoved aside the last zombified boy and signaled to Sailor V.  
  
"Crescent Beam!" she shouted, firing her attack. A burst of light blasted apart Pandora,   
causing goop to fall on the ground.  
  
"Eww..." Sailor V said, holding her nose. "That stinks.... That mush was the real Pandora?"  
  
"She's melted away," Artemis said. "It's over."  
  
Ryoku wrinkled his nose at the smell. "Thank goodness," he replied in a satisfied tone of   
voice. He then turned to Sailor V and frowned thoughtfully. "You know," he began, "I've   
finally realized who you remind me of."  
  
"Eh?" Sailor V asked. Artemis' eyes widened in shock as he realized that he had forgotten   
that he was there, falling into the role of advisor during the battle. Strange, though....   
It seemed almost natural to have Ryoku fighting alongside Sailor V....  
  
"Blonde hair," he began as he slowly walked up to her, "blue eyes, red hairbow. Then,   
there's Artemis." He glanced down at Artemis and grinned as the cat's eyes nearly popped   
out of his head at being recognized. "At first, it was only enough to make me suspect who   
you were, but when you called me 'Ryo-kun', I was certain. I know it's you, Aino Minako.   
You are Sailor V."  
  
Sailor V sighed as she spun around and returned to her ordinary clothes. "You found me   
out," Minako said despondently. "You won't tell anyone, will you?"  
  
He frowned thoughtfully again. "One condition."  
  
"What?" she asked.  
  
"You have a dangerous job being a solder of justice, Minako-san," he began. "What would   
happen if you get into a situation that you can't handle by yourself? You could get killed."  
  
"What are you trying to say, Ryo-kun?" Artemis asked curiously.  
  
"I don't want to worry about you getting killed, not while I can do something about it," he   
stated finally. "I want to help you, Minako-san... no, Sailor V. I can't explain it....   
Somehow, I feel as though I have to do this."  
  
"You're crazy!" Minako shouted concernedly, accidentally dropping her compact in shock.   
"It's one thing for me to do this; I have special powers! But, you don't have any powers!   
You'd be the one getting yourself killed! I don't want you to put yourself in this kind of   
danger, Ryo-kun. Please, forget about this...."  
  
Artemis padded over to the compact. Seeing it open, he raised a paw to close it, but froze   
when he saw something in the reflection. As usual, Minako's reflection showed her as Sailor   
V. But, Ryoku's reflection....  
  
"Oh! I dropped my compact!" Minako said as she reached down to pick it up, closing it in   
the process. "Now, as I was saying...."  
  
"I think we should let Ryo-kun help us, Mina," Artemis cut in gently.  
  
"Right," Minako continued, thinking that Artemis was agreeing with her and not really   
hearing what he had said. "I think we should let.... Nani yo?!?"  
  
"Arigatou gozaimasu, Artemis," Ryoku said, bowing politely.  
  
"You can't be serious, Artemis," Minako protested. "He'd get seriously hurt! Please   
reconsider, Ryo-kun. I...."  
  
Ryoku hushed Minako by placing a finger on her lips. "Trust me," he whispered softly. "Just   
trust me, Minako-chan."  
  
She stared at him with worried eyes for a moment longer before finally nodding.  
  
The boys slowly began to get up. "Uhh... Where are we...?" one boy asked groggily.  
  
"What happened?" another asked.  
  
"All right," Minako noticed. "Everyone's back to normal." She stopped for a moment, feeling   
as though she was forgetting something. "Everyone's back to normal...?"  
  
"Amano-kun!" Ryoku exclaimed. "I almost forgot about Amano-kun!" They ran over to Amano and   
knelt down at his side, lifting him up.  
  
"Amano!" Minako shouted, trying to wake him up. "Amano!! Wake up!"  
  
"Uhh...," Amano moaned as he came to. "Oh, Mina-san? Ryoku-san?"  
  
"You all right, Amano-kun?" Ryoku asked.  
  
"School!" he exclaimed suddenly. "We're late! He'll think we're skipping!!"  
  
Minako and Ryoku merely shared a look and sweatdropped as they gave an exasperated sigh in   
unison.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"What have you been doing!?" the teacher demanded as the three students walked in. "You   
three get fifty extra math problems!"  
  
"What!?" Minako exploded, but calmed down as Ryoku put a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Don't worry about it," Ryoku said calmly as he went to take his seat. "I'll help you out.   
Remember?" he added with a sly grin.  
  
Minako sat at her desk, fuming as she pulled out her math book and her pen. The moment she   
saw that it was her special pen that she pulled out, she grinned smugly. "Hehe! It's fine,   
it's fine. As long as I have this pen...."  
  
"Oh?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "How so?"  
  
"With this pen," she confided to him, "I can do English, math, anything!"  
  
Artemis quickly grabbed it from her hand. "You're going to study for real," he said sternly.  
  
"Hmm...," Ryoku said thoughtfully. "Well, easy come, easy go, ne?"  
  
"Ohh...," Minako moaned sadly.  
  
He smiled apologetically as he opened his math book as well. "Let's get started, Minako-chan."  
  
**********************************************  
  
Disclaimer: All original materials belong to their respective owners. Sailor Moon belongs   
to Naoko Takeuchi and a bunch of big companies. No copyright infringement is intended. This   
story belongs me, so I would appreciate it very much if you would ask for permission before   
posting it anywhere else. Thank you.  
  
The Question and all stories included are:  
Copyright © July 6, 2001 Jason C. Ulloa.   
Manga translation by Alex Glover © 1996  
All Rights Reserved. 


	6. Chapter 5

Alone No More: Minako's Story  
by Jason C. Ulloa  
  
  
Chapter 5  
  
"I am the sailor-suited beautiful soldier, Sailor V! I will stop you!"  
  
Sailor V ran after the two criminals as they fled from the sound of her voice. As she   
spotted the two criminals darting around a corner, she smiled smugly to herself.  
  
The two criminals glanced back for a second. Seeing that their pursuer was still behind   
them, they sped up, running as fast as they could. What they failed to notice was that a   
boy had just stepped out in front of them.  
  
"What...?" the boy exclaimed in surprise when he saw that he was about to get run over.   
"Look out!" Seeing that collision was inevitable, the boy braced himself for impact.  
  
Sailor V skidded to a halt in front of the three figures moaning painfully on the ground.   
'Ryo-kun no baka,' she thought to herself as she pulled out a coil of rope. 'I told you   
that pretending to just walk into their path was a stupid idea... even if it did work....'  
  
**********************************************  
  
After receiving an anonymous tip from a young male caller, two officers ran to the building   
and found the criminals tied up. A note was stuck to one of them: 'To the police: I caught   
the burglars. V.'  
  
"Damn it!" one of the officers growled. "Sailor V got here first again!"  
  
**********************************************  
  
The rising sun shined into Ryoku's eyes waking him from his slumber. He grumbled groggily   
to himself as he turned onto his side, avoiding the sunlight. Unfortunately, the soreness   
of the bruises in his side kept him awake even as he tried to go back to sleep.  
  
'It's no use,' he grouched mentally. 'I can't go back to sleep. Stupid bruise. I guess   
Minako-chan was right; trying to stop the criminals by walking into their path and causing   
them to crash into me was stupid.' He sighed as he sat up in his bed, flinging aside his   
blanket.  
  
He grabbed his clothes from off the chair beside his bed and walked over to the bathroom to   
take a shower. The warm water helped to soothe his bruises. He made a mental note to try to   
think up a different way to help Sailor V without revealing himself. After showering and   
dressing, he fixed breakfast, ate, then left his apartment.  
  
A sudden thought hit him as he left home. Why had he suddenly began referring to Minako-san   
as Minako-chan? Maybe it had something to do with the fact that they shared a secret   
between them: the fact that she was Sailor V. Perhaps, but somehow he knew that it was more   
significant than that.  
  
Something was changing between himself and Minako... and time would tell what would become   
of that change....  
  
'At least they never suspected that I was working with Sailor V,' he told himself mentally.   
'If anyone ever discovered that Kino Ryoku was working together with Sailor V... I could be   
used as a hostage or something.' He frowned at the thought. 'But I can't stop helping her.   
I need to help her. I wish I could explain why....'  
  
**********************************************  
  
Minako was fast asleep on her bed, still in her school uniform, when her mother walked into   
her room.  
  
"Miiina!" her mom yelled. "Just because it's Sunday, how long do you plan to sleep in? It's   
already noon! I have to hang out the bedding! Get off!" She pulled the bedding out from   
under Minako, sending her to the floor.  
  
"Uhh...," Minako murmured sleepily. "Ohh.... My skirt's all wrinkled...."  
  
"You shouldn't sleep in your school clothes!" her mother admonished.  
  
"Come on, Mom!" Minako muttered irritably. "I was tired. I had to do a lot. I'm not just an   
ordinary junior high student.... The soldier of justice Sailor V...."  
  
Artemis quickly coverd her mouth. "Mina!" he growled under his breath so as not to be heard   
by Minako's mother. "If you talk that carelessly, it'll be a long time until you become   
fully qualified."  
  
"You want to eat a piece of what?" her mom asked uncertainly.  
  
"Nothing!" Minako replied quickly. "Shh! Shh! Artemis!" she whispered back to the white cat   
after her mother left the room with her bedding. "You'll give away that you're a talking   
cat."  
  
Artemis sighed and shook his head in exasperation.  
  
"Good weather!" she said as she got to her feet and glanced toward the window. "I've   
decided. Today, I'm going shopping with Ryo-kun and Hikaru-chan! I'm carefree." Her gaze   
fell over to her desk where a pile of papers and books sat and her smile faultered. "I have   
a mountain of homework, but...." She glanced warily over at Artemis as she pulled out her   
pen. "It's no problem!" she said quietly to herself. "I can easily do even the hardest   
problems with this magic pen." She sat down and started scribbling down her homework, all   
the while keeping an eye out for Artemis. After all, he might try to take back her pen   
again.  
  
Once she had finished, she opened her compact and brushed her hair back. "Well, I have to   
look nice," she told Artemis as she noticed him glancing disapprovingly at her.  
  
"Mina, you have an important duty," Artemis said with a sigh. "You're not training enough.   
You're only going around capturing criminals, which is the police's job."  
  
She looked over at the newspaper Artemis had brought in earlier while she was still asleep.   
The headline read, 'Sailor V does it! The criminals were captured.'  
  
"All right," she relented. "One more practice session. I'm making the police look bad." She   
laughed softly to herself. "I only wanted to beat them once."  
  
**********************************************  
  
A police officer burst into the office of the superintendent-general at the Metropolitan   
Police Office and slapped his hand hard on the desk. "Superintendent-General!" he yelled   
insistantly. "Every single time, Sailor V is stealing all the credit! She's embarrassing   
all of us! In short, I think she's a very suspicious character! She must be secretly   
organizing this series of mysterious incidents!"  
  
"I don't want to make a mistake," the superintendent-general replied calmly. "The number of   
mysterious incidents has been increasing lately. The soldier of justice also appeared. So,   
I personally established a special police headquarters. I appointed you to lead it, Wakagi   
Toshio. Are you in any position to complain? If it's too hard, get out of here and do   
something about it!" She tossed him out of her office without another word.  
  
After showing Wakagi out, she looked around carefully, then flipped on a switch. Next to   
one of the walls, a large poster of Sailor V lowered from the ceiling. "Ah! My V-chan!" she   
said dreamily. "Nobody can top you, the soldier of justice. V," she stated confidently,   
"someday, I'll finally win you over to the police department."  
  
"Damn it!" Wakagi seethed as he walked away from the superintendent-general's office. "V!   
Someday I'll get her, and find out who she really is!"  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Hmph," a woman sniffed as she looked at the newspaper article showing Sailor V. "V! You   
will be killed, and I'm the one who's going to do it." She tossed aside the newspaper, then   
stepped out onto the stage before a cheering crowd. The sign above her read, 'The pretty   
model, Petite Pandora's first concert!'  
  
"Everyone!" she said adoringly into the microphone. "Thank you all for coming today!" The   
boys in the audience swooned at her smile.  
  
"Oh, she's so cute! Petite Pandora!" many boys cried out. "We are all your slaves!"  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Hey! Hey! Did you see it on TV yesterday?" one boy asked the next day at school.  
  
"See what?" Ryoku asked curiously.  
  
"Haven't there been a lot of music shows lately?" Minako asked.  
  
"Oh," he said, suddenly losing interest in the conversation.  
  
"So will she be an idol or what?" Hikaru asked.  
  
"Eheh.... Ehehehe...," Amano laughed. "She already is."  
  
"You don't say?" Ryoku asked dryly. "Well, I don't.... What is that???" He frowned in   
perplexity as he noticed that Amano had suddenly pulled out a device from his backpack.  
  
"What are you doing, Amano?" Minako inquired.  
  
"Concert watch," he replied. "This receiver catches radio waves sent from the idol's mike.   
We can enjoy the concert for free!"  
  
"And that thing cost you how much?" Ryoku asked.  
  
"Umm...," Amano replied, recalling the price. "I think it was approximately ¥12,000."  
  
"12,000 yen?!?" he exclaimed in surpise, then sweatdropped.  
  
"Jeez!" Minako commented. "You really are a nerd, aren't you?" Ryoku nodded emphatically.  
  
"She's so cute!" Amano said, ignoring them as he held up a poster. "The pretty model,   
Petite Pandora!"  
  
'Petite Pandora?' both Artemis and Ryoku thought to themselves.  
  
"Hey, there was an idol called Pandora before," Hikaru mentioned. "She disappeared   
unnoticed, but I wonder if there's a relation."  
  
"Hmm," Minako said, exchanging glances with Ryoku. "Petite Pandora...."  
  
**********************************************  
  
Two boys stood on the street, looking at Petite Pandora on a magazine cover. "She's cute!"   
one of them told the other. "She's the prettiest girl, now. Her trademark is her 'world's   
cutest wink'! If you say anything rude to her, she'll turn you down."  
  
"Is that true?" the model asked as she walked by them. The two boys gasped as they saw her.   
She smiled and winked at them.  
  
"Yes, we are all your slaves," the two boys said in unison as their faces darkened.  
  
She walked away laughing. "Heh heh... I need more.... More slaves, so I can defeat V. I can   
do it with my handsome slaves." She looked around a corner. "Ah.... Another person to be my   
slave...."  
  
She went over to Amano. As soon as he turned around, she backed away upon seeing his face.   
"I can't! I can't!" she gasped. "I can't make such a loser my slave! Anyway, since I got a   
lot of slaves at my recent concert, now is the time."  
  
She held up an envelope that read, 'A challenge.'  
  
"I wonder where V stays. Since she's a soldier of justice, she must be working with the   
police."  
  
She walked over to the Metropolitan Police Office and entered with the envelope. "Umm...,"   
she said to the first person she saw, "I'd like to give this to the best person here,   
but...."  
  
"Best?" the officer in front repeated questioningly. "Miss, are you someone's messenger?"  
  
Wakagi walked out at that moment. "What is it? What is it?" he demanded.  
  
'Oh!' Petite Pandora thought to herself. 'He's handsome! I like him. All right, I'll wink   
at him and he'll be my slave....'  
  
"This is no place for little kids," he said impaitently as he tossed her out the door. "Get   
out of here!"  
  
"How'd that happen?" she wondered to herself. "Me, the popular, pretty model.... This is a   
bad day."  
  
After Wakagi threw Petite Pandora out, he noticed the envelope she dropped on the floor. He   
picked it up and opened it, then read the letter inside.  
  
"To Sailor V!" he read aloud. "Meet me at Shiba Park! If you don't show, I will kill all   
the slaves I have gathered. From the pretty model, Petite Pandora." A slow grin spread   
across his face.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"This is the fiftieth case!" one of the officers stated to everyone gathered in the room.   
"Lots of schoolboys are disappearing. These are definitely systematic abductions. But there   
aren't any clues! We have to get this solved!"  
  
"If Sailor V would give us some help...," another one of the officers added.  
  
"Yeah, Sailor V will come for sure!" a third officer said.  
  
Wakagi burst angrily through the doors. "Everyone!" he yelled testily. "Sailor V, V, V!   
Calling on her to solve these kidnappings.... Do we need to depend on her?" He brandished   
the letter he found earlier. "Petite Pandora is a suspect in the chain of schoolboy   
disappearances!"  
  
"No way! That pretty girl is the kidnapper!?" All of the officers crowded around Wakagi,   
each one trying to read the letter.  
  
"She brought the police a written challenge to Sailor V!" one of them exclaimed after   
reading the letter.  
  
"What!?" the superintendent-general exclaimed later as she read the letter. "A written   
challenge to V-chan!?"  
  
**********************************************  
  
Amano listened in through his earphones. "Hehe! I just happened to catch a piece of   
top-secret information. It's shocking!"  
  
"Nerd...," Minako commented. Ryoku remained silent.  
  
"It seems they've received a written challenge in Petite Pandora's name to Sailor V."  
  
"Nerd, show me that book!" she demanded, taking the book from him.  
  
Ryoku leaned over Minako's shoulder as they looked at the picture on the cover. "It looks   
like her," he remarked quietly.  
  
"The enemy I beat before...," Minako agreed. "Pandora."  
  
The pen in her shirt pocket started to beep. She nodded to Ryoku as they ran behind a   
corner. Minako pulled out the pen's antenna. "Yes, this is Mina. Boss?"  
  
"Mina!! This is a state of emergency! Fifty schoolboys have disappeared in succession! They   
look like abductions!"  
  
"Fifty abductions?!?" Ryoku exclaimed.  
  
"Boss, a suspect called Petite Pandora has given the police a written challenge addressed   
to me!!" Minako told her.  
  
"Then, she's probably an enemy!" Boss said. "Here are your orders. Uncover that Petite   
Pandora's true character and her goal. If she's an enemy... Get rid of her! I also want   
Ryoku to assist you in this."  
  
"Understood!!" Minako and Ryoku replied.  
  
"Let's go, Mina! Ryoku!" Artemis said.  
  
**********************************************  
  
Wakagi stood in front of a group of cops at Shiba Park. "Damn it, I'm not telling V about   
this!" he said determinedly. "Not a chance! This time, we're going to do it!"  
  
The superintendent-general stood with them, glancing around her, watching. 'I might get to   
see V-chan work live!' she thought gleefully, making sure not to show her eagerness.  
  
Minako peeked out at them from around a corner. "Lots of cops here," she told Ryoku. "I   
better not go as V right away."  
  
"That idol must like handsome boys," Ryoku pointed out. "I could draw her out for you...."  
  
"That's not really necessary," she told him as she took out her compact. "I thank you for   
volunteering, though." She paused in thought for a moment. "But, what if Petite Pandora   
tries to make you into her slave? Hmm...." She looked thoughtfully at her compact, then   
glanced at him. A slow, mischevious grin spread across her face as an idea began to form.   
"Could be worth a shot," she said to herself.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Ryoku asked warily.  
  
"Now...," she suddenly shouted, "Crescent Moon Power Transform! Change me into a cute young   
boy! Change Ryoku into a cute young girl!" After the transformation, Minako appeared as a   
boy in a loose shirt and jeans while Ryoku appeared as a girl in a loose blouse and skirt   
with long hair with a silver ribbon in the back. "This should get her attention," she   
said... or rather, tried to say between snickers.  
  
"What's so...? NANI YO KORE?!?!?" he exclaimed as he noticed what he was wearing. "WHAT THE   
HELL DID YOU DO TO ME!!!!!" This time, Artemis began to join in on the laughter. He scowled   
furiously at both of them.  
  
'He's cute, even as a girl,' Minako thought as she began to pull herself together. "Sorry,   
Ryo-kun, but I wanted to make sure that you were safe from Petite Pandora's influence. I'm   
surprised that it worked."  
  
"So you disguised me as a girl?" he asked flatly. "We'll, I guess if you can go as a   
boy...." He looked Minako up and down. "The disguise is pretty good, Minako-chan." He   
grinned slightly. "Even as a boy, you're still cute." He turned around and glanced out from   
behind the corner, keeping watch for Petite Pandora.  
  
Minako stared at Ryoku, still surprised at hearing him call her cute. Could he...?  
  
**********************************************  
  
A blimp flew overhead. "A little tea," Petite Pandora ordered, inside the blimp.  
  
"Wait," the boy at the helm said. "Come on, you drive this," he said to another boy. The   
boy took over, allowing the former driver to fetch his master some tea.  
  
After sipping some of her tea, she stepped up to a nearby microphone. "I have an   
appointment now," she said. "I'm over Shiba Park."  
  
"Sailor V!" boomed out the voice from the blimp. "Where are you!? I don't see you. I will   
gather more and more slaves, and seize Earth!"  
  
A panel opened in the bottom, allowing Petite Pandora to be lowered on a seat. She winked   
at the police officers, causing them to become enthralled by her.  
  
"She's so pretty!" Wakagi shouted. "A slave! That's the only way to live!"  
  
In the mass of converted police officers, she noticed an unaffected boy accompanied by a   
cute girl. "Wow! He's really hot!"  
  
"Hehe!" Minako laughed. "Caught ya!" she said as she signalled to Ryoku. He replied by   
slipping out a pair of knives from within his blouse and flung them at Petite Pandora... or   
rather the ropes above her. The two ropes holding Petite Pandora snapped, causing her to   
crash to the ground.  
  
"Moon Power Transform!" Minako shouted as light flashed around her. "You turn innocent boys   
into your slaves! You cruel woman! I won't let it happen! Codename: Sailor V, the soldier   
of justice! I am the sailor-suited beautiful soldier, Sailor Venus!"  
  
"You're here, Sailor V! I've been waiting. I am Petite Pandora! You killed Pandora, my   
sister, so I'm taking revenge! Slaves! Go, kill V!"  
  
Sailor V started to run from the boys coming after her, but others began to gather behind   
her. "Uh oh...," she moaned worriedly. "They're everywhere! Ryo-k...." She paused as she   
remembered Ryoku's femimine disguise. "Ryoko-chan!"  
  
"Sailor V!" Ryoku shouted as he fought his way to her side. "Kyaa! This skirt! I just can't   
fight well in this skirt! Maybe if it was as short as yours...."  
  
"Ryo-kun!" Sailor V exclaimed in an embarrassed whisper. "Now's not the time to be talking   
about my skirt...."  
  
"Oh...," he murmured, also slightly embarrassed.  
  
Artemis bowed his head and sighed in exasperation. "Mina!" he shouted. "The compact!"  
  
She quickly held it out. "Crescent Beam!" she shouted, firing her attack.  
  
The melting form of Petite Pandora laughed. "I'm still safe!" she stated. "I'll get revenge   
for my sister...." Gas filled the air, choking people. "Revenge for my sister...."  
  
Sailor V held her nose. "Artemis!" she shouted as she saw Ryoku choking on the poisonous   
gas. "She's sending out a noxious odor! Everyone will die! Ryo-kun...!"  
  
"Mina!" Artemis yelled. "Purify it with Venus power!"  
  
"Right," she said as she opened her compact. "Venus Power! Love Crescent Shower!! Pour down   
rain!" Rain began to fall, dissolving Petite Pandora and her gas attack.  
  
The boys slowly began to get up. "Uhh...."  
  
"How did we get here...?"  
  
"That smells great!"  
  
"What's happening?" Wakagi groaned weakly. He glanced skyward, allowing the rain to fall   
onto his face. "Feels good."  
  
"Mina!" Artemis said approvingly. "Great job! From now on, you and Ryo-kun need to work   
harder and start your real mission."  
  
"I know," she replied and paused as she realized what he had said. "What? My real mission?"  
  
"Artemis," Ryoku asked curiously, "what is her real mission?"  
  
"It's a secret." Both Sailor V and Ryoku facefaulted.  
  
"Hey!" Wakagi shouted as he spotted Sailor V. "V!"  
  
"Everyone!" Sailor V said as she waved. "See ya!" she quickly leaped away with Ryoku   
following suit.  
  
"Ahh...," the superintendent-general said dreamily. "V-chan!"  
  
"Damn it!" Wakagi growled furiously. "She did it again!"  
  
**********************************************  
  
Disclaimer: All original materials belong to their respective owners. Sailor Moon belongs   
to Naoko Takeuchi and a bunch of big companies. No copyright infringement is intended. This   
story belongs me, so I would appreciate it very much if you would ask for permission before   
posting it anywhere else. Thank you.  
  
The Question and all stories included are:  
Copyright © July 6, 2001 Jason C. Ulloa.   
Manga translation by Alex Glover © 1996  
All Rights Reserved. 


	7. Chapter 6

Alone No More: Minako's Story  
by Jason C. Ulloa  
  
  
Chapter 6  
  
"Thank you!" Minako called out to the audience gathered before her. "Thanks so much,   
everyone!" She wore her Sailor V outfit, complete with mask, holding a small wireless   
microphone to her mouth.  
  
"Sailor V! Sailor V!" the audience chanted eagerly. Out in the center of the front row, sat   
Ryoku. That spot was the closest point between her and the audience, and was easily   
considered to be the best seat in the place. Ryoku wasn't chanting like everyone else, but   
he had an eager look on his face. To her, that was just as good as seeing him chanting like   
everyone else... maybe better. After all, Ryoku had always said that he was never   
interested in idols, so his presence here was more than enough for her.  
  
"Today, for you, I'm going to sing!" she said. "I'm an idol! I'm so happy!"  
  
Ryoku's smile widened just a little. When she saw that, she smiled back and gave him her   
most charming wink, then laughed.  
  
Artemis merely hung his head as he sat by the sleeping girl. 'That must be a wonderful   
dream she's having. She's laughing in her sleep.'  
  
**********************************************  
  
Thunderous applause filled the air at the Dark Guys concert. "Thank you everyone!" the Dark   
Guys said as they bowed. "We'll definitely come back again!"  
  
Minako and Hikaru left as everyone began to get up and leave. "Oh, that concert was the   
best!" Hikaru said.  
  
"It was so cool seeing the Dark Guys live!" Minako said. "I'm so happy!"  
  
"Aren't you tired from the concert?" Hikaru asked. "I feel faint."  
  
"Well, you were yelling too loud, Hikaru-chan."  
  
"What?!? You were yelling a lot louder than I was."  
  
"Right!" Minako agreed, nodding. "I was cheering the whole time. And I feel great!"  
  
Hikaru laughed. "You're really cheerful, Mina."  
  
"Being an idol must be fun. I wish I could be one."  
  
"You want to go to your house and listen to the new Dark Guys CD?" Hikaru asked.  
  
Minako's expression brightened. "Really!? That's...." She trailed off suddenly as she   
quickly glanced around.  
  
"What?" Hikaru asked, her expression puzzled by her friend's behavior.  
  
"Well... I have to keep the concert secret," Minako replied. "I wasn't supposed to go...."  
  
"Why?" Hikaru asked. "Will your mom get mad?"  
  
"No, the mad one will be...."  
  
"Mina!!" a familiar voice shouted at Minako.  
  
"Huh? Did someone call you, Mina?" Hikaru asked.  
  
Artemis glared at Minako as he stalked up to her. She quickly scooped him up and started to   
leave. "Bye, Hikaru-chan. See you at school!" She waited until she was alone before looking   
down at the white cat. "Artemis... Are to trying to make a spectacle of yourself, being a   
talking cat?"  
  
"Exactly!" he said angrily. "You're always going off by yourself and playing around. If you   
keep acting like that, you'll never bring peace to the world.  
  
"You should be careful with idols," Artemis cautioned. "Remember Pandora and Petite   
Pandora? All the enemies we've defeated here have been idols. Haven't you learned   
anything?!? If you want to be a soldier of justice, you should consult with me and   
investigate with Ryo-kun before you go to a concert."  
  
"Oh, Artemis," she said dismissively. "You worry too much. The Dark Guys aren't evil.   
Besides, you know that Ryoku isn't into idols. Come on, look." She shows him a picture.   
"Aren't they cool!? These triplets are the hottest idols! Anyway, they're great. Their   
faces, their voices, all together...."  
  
"Dark Guys...," Artemis said as he looked at the poster. "They belong to the Dark   
Agency.... The Pandora and Petite Pandora we defeated both belonged to the Dark Agency's   
idol talent."  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Hey, members in the fan club get priority for buying tickets to the next Dark Guys   
concert!" a girl said to Minako.  
  
Ryoku looked up from his book and listened. After Artemis had his little talk with Minako,   
he had asked him to keep an eye on her, should she keep sneaking off to idol concerts.   
Personally, he thought that Artemis was worrying too much, but he agreed to his request   
anyway. After all, one can never be too careful....  
  
"Ohh...," Minako moaned. "I want to go, but I don't have any money."  
  
"If that's the case...," Amano said. "You can listen to the concert with me!"  
  
"Amano! What, are you a Dark Guys fan, too?"  
  
"No, no," he replied, shaking his head. "Now, the number one requested group is the twin   
idols, Twin Dark. They're cute! Look, they're in this literary magazine, and lots of info   
is available using computers. Did you know? They're the triplet Dark Guys' younger sisters."  
  
"Hey, they really do look alike," Minako said as she looked at the picture.  
  
From his seat, Ryoku also glanced at the picture. 'Hmm.... Maybe Artemis is on to   
something....'  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Come on," Wakagi muttered to himself. "Why do I have to cover this idol singer's concert?"  
  
"Don't talk like that, Wakagi-senpai," an officer said.  
  
"She's the most popular singer for karaoke," said another. "The Dark Princess is the   
salaryman's goddess!"  
  
The idol on stage began to sing.  
  
"Over your job,  
Choose me.  
Kneel to me  
And down to your bones  
You will receive my love."  
  
"Ohh...," Wakagi whispered. "I'm crazy about her.... My head's spinning. I'm exhausted."  
  
**********************************************  
  
In the office of the Dark Agency, a woman sat back in her chair as she took a puff from her   
cigarette. "Heh heh," she laughed softly. "For the next new idol, we've got commercials and   
a trendy drama series, followed by a movie and events. If we aim under the Dark Guys and   
Twin Dark and over the Dark Princess, we'll have every age group covered. Things are   
turning out well."  
  
The door opened allowing one of her employers to enter. "Boss," the man said. "You have a   
call."  
  
"Okay," she said, dismissing him. She pressed a button, lowering a clear screen. A   
silhouette appeared on the screen after it had completely lowered.  
  
"Fluorite," the figure on the screen said, "I take it you are progressing well."  
  
"Leave it to me, Danburite-sama," she said confidently.  
  
"Pandora and Petite Pandora have already failed," Danburite stated. "I can't overlook that."  
  
"I understand," Fluorite replied. "This time I am sending out many cloned copies as idols,   
to perform the brainwashing. I will soak up lots of energy, and bring about the destruction   
of the humans! Using the idol talent is the best method to brainwash people. I can soak up   
a mountain of energy and take in lots of money. After the brainwashing, they'll be slaves,   
and I can use them for anything. Then all Japan- no, the whole planet Earth will be ruled   
by us!"  
  
**********************************************  
  
"It's time for school to end," Artemis said to himself as he waited patiently for Minako to   
show up. "If I don't come to meet Mina, she'll go off to fool around." He sighed tiredly.   
"At least I don't have to worry about Ryo-kun.  
  
"A lot of ads for Dark Agency idols have popped up lately.... All these people look   
strange. They're worn out. There's no life in their faces...." He contemplated for a minute   
on all the strange events that had recently taken place. "A pattern. Mina doesn't know   
about this emergency situation!"  
  
**********************************************  
  
The students began to pack up their bags as class ended. Some of them were slowly muttering   
to themselves under their breath.  
  
"Dark.... Dark...."  
  
"I have to hurry home to watch the Dark Guys on TV."  
  
Ryoku glanced around him at the students, frowning to himself in concern. 'This is bad. I   
wonder if Minako-chan has noticed?'  
  
"I need to listen to my CD...," Hikaru muttered to herself as she passed by Minako. The   
distant look in her eyes caught Minako's concern.  
  
"Hikaru-chan?" Minako called to her friend, but Hikaru didn't hear her. As she left, a CD   
fell from her bag.  
  
"What's with her?" Minako said worriedly to herself, kneeling down to pick up the CD. "She   
dropped this, and didn't notice. Weird." Her eyes widened as she read the label. "Th....   
This is...! The Dark Guys new CD!! I gotta hear it!" She whirled around to face Amano.   
"Nerd! You have a good CD player. Give it to me!" She grabbed the Discman from Amano and   
began to play the CD.  
  
"Dark.... Dark...," the singer chanted darkly. "Dark Agency...."  
  
"Ohhh...," Minako moaned. "Yes, Dark Agency...."  
  
"Mina!" Artemis shouted as he and Ryoku rushed to her side. "That's an enemy's brainwashing   
CD! Don't listen to it!" Artemis yanked the headphones from her ears. He starts batting at   
her face. "We have to be careful. Come on, Mina!"  
  
"Here, Artemis," Ryoku said as he stood in front of Minako. "Let me." Artemis leaped off of   
Minako's desk and watched as Ryoku raised his arm in preparation to slap her hard across   
her face; his face set in a determined expression. Before hitting her, Ryoku's arm slowly   
lowered as he sighed ruefully.  
  
"What are you doing?" Artemis asked. "We have to snap her out of this trance!"  
  
"I know," he replied softly. "But, there's something that I must do first." He slowly   
kissed the tips of the first two fingers of his right hand and gently pressed them against   
Minako's left cheek. "Gomen nasai, Minako-chan," he whispered regretfully as he drew back   
his right arm and slapped her hard across her left cheek in exactly the same spot he   
touched before.   
  
"Itai!" Minako cried painfully. "Ryo-kun! What did you hit me for?!?"  
  
"You're back to yourself," he said in a relieved tone.  
  
"You fell into the enemy's trap!" Artemis scolded. "Mina, you haven't been doing your job.   
You're a soldier of justice!"  
  
"Don't be so hard on Minako-chan, Artemis...," Ryoku began, when he was suddenly cut off by   
Minako hitting her hand on her desk.  
  
"Artemis!!" she exclaimed heatedly. "Do you remember!? I've been doing what I can, but   
there's no reason for me to be a soldier of justice! And about the enemies! And about my   
employer!! I don't know anything! You haven't told me a thing, Artemis! And you haven't   
told Ryo-kun, either, and he's risking his life more than I am!! You've been using us   
unfairly!"  
  
"Ohh...," Artemis growled irritably. "I can't take this anymore. Mina! Ryo-kun! Come!!"   
With that, the white cat stalked out of the room, leaving Minako and Ryoku to follow him.  
  
**********************************************  
  
Minako and Ryoku follow as Artemis entered the Crown Game Center. "What!?" Minako exclaimed   
as she saw where Artemis was leading them. "What are we doing here!?"  
  
Artemis ignored Minako as he hit a hidden button on the Sailor V game machine, causing a   
hole to open in the floor underneath her and Ryoku. They screamed as they fell through the   
hole and landed on the floor of a basement. Computers lined the walls with a large monitor   
in the center.  
  
"Nice place you've got here," Ryoku commented. "So, where do you put the coins?" Minako   
snickered at his joke, as Artemis frowned in annoyance. "Oh. Sorry, Artemis."  
  
"Mina! Ryoku!" a familiar female voice greeted. "I've been waiting."  
  
"That voice...," Minako said as she recognized the voice. "Boss? Boss, this place...."  
  
"This is the command center," Boss told them. "Since you need to train a little more as a   
soldier, Mina, I'd rather Artemis hadn't brought you here. As for Ryoku... well, I have   
something to discuss with him later."  
  
"Boss!" Minako said, "it's all right! I wanted to know! You always give me and Ryoku   
orders. Just what is your real form? Tell us!"  
  
"That...." Both Minako and Ryoku leaned forward eagerly. "I can't tell you yet." They   
facefaulted.  
  
"But, Mina, about the enemies," Boss continued. "It's the dreadful plan of an organization   
called the Dark Agency. They're not human! They want to soak energy from humans, and cause   
the downfall of mankind. They're planning to conquer Earth! All the previous enemies were   
sent out from there!"  
  
"Soak energy?!?" Minako exclaimed.  
  
"Conquer Earth?!?" Ryoku exclaimed.  
  
"Yes," Boss continued. "Mina, the battles you will face will only get harder from now on.   
There will come a time when you need Ryoku's help, but as he is now, he won't be able to   
help you. Mina, take out your compact and open it."  
  
Minako did as she was asked and brought out her compact. As soon as she opened it, she   
gasped in shock. As usual, her reflection showed her in her sailor fuku and red mask - her   
reflection as Sailor V - but it was Ryoku's reflection that made her gasp.  
  
The compact had the ability to show anyone's true form. Ryoku's reflection showed him in an   
almost similar-looking sailor fuku, except that his was colored silver and he wore trousers   
instead of the skirt that she wore. On his face was a silver eye mask and his forehead   
displayed a strange looking symbol: a crescent moon combined with the symbol of Earth,   
superimposed over a pair of crossed swords.  
  
"What are you looking at, Minako-ch...," Ryoku asked and trailed off when he saw his   
reflection. "Nan da yo??? Sore wa... watashi?"  
  
"Ryoku," Artemis said as he padded over to him, carrying some kind of silver-colored stick   
in his mouth. "Here. This is for you."  
  
"What's this?" he asked, picking up the stick. As he picked it up, a sense of familiarity   
washed over him. Suddenly, he thrust the stick forward, causing a blade to appear from the   
end of the stick.  
  
"Nani yo?!?" Minako exclaimed in shock. "How'd you...?"  
  
"Don't know," he replied. "I just told it to come out... mentally." He grimaced slightly.   
"And it did." He turned to look at Artemis. "What is this?"  
  
"Like Mina, you also have the ability to transform, Ryoku," Boss told him. "This Star Sword   
will allow you to transform, just like Mina's pen. Just as Mina was born with the powers of   
the planet Venus, you were born with the powers of Earth."  
  
"Codename: Masked Knight," Artemis added. "Partner to Sailor V."  
  
"Partner?" Ryoku repeated questioningly as he glanced over at Minako.  
  
"Partner," she agreed as she smiled and nodded. They both clasped hands as a symbol of   
their new partnership.  
  
"Now, Mina and Ryoku! Take action! Go fight, to foil the Dark Agency's plot!"  
  
Ryoku glanced at his sword, causing it to withdraw back into the stick. He and Minako both   
shared a glance for a short period of time, then nodded. "Understood, Boss!" they exclaimed   
in complete unison.  
  
**********************************************  
  
Minako, Ryoku and Artemis stood outside the Dark Agency Dream Idol Fair. Ryoku was studying   
a poster on the wall outside.  
  
"A day ticket is ¥10,000!!" Ryoku exclaimed incredulously.  
  
"Ten thousand yen?!?" Minako repeated in shock. "I don't believe it! No way I could afford   
that!"  
  
"The same goes for me," he agreed. "So, how should we go about getting in, Minako-chan?"  
  
"Well...," she said as she lifted her compact, grinning eagerly, "Crescent Moon Power   
Transform! Change us into army foot soldiers!"  
  
Both Minako and Ryoku appeared in camouflage suits, holding rifles. Minako kicked open the   
door and ran inside. "Charge!" she shouted loudly.  
  
Both Ryoku and Artemis glanced after Minako and sweatdropped. "Well, at least she's in the   
right mindset... I suppose," Ryoku said uncertainly as he followed her in.  
  
Artemis sighed and shook his head. "It's a good thing she's got Ryoku as a partner," he   
muttered. "It'll take a little more time until she's a full soldier of justice."  
  
**********************************************  
  
The crowd cheered as the Dark Guys finished their song. "Thank you!" they said, bowing to   
the audience. "And now, our sisters! The Twin Dark!"  
  
The spotlight shined on a smiling girl with long, blond hair and a grinning boy with a   
long, light brown ponytail.  
  
"You're not the Twin Dark!" one of the Dark Guys shouted. "Who are you!? She's cute!"  
  
"Who's that?" Fluorite demanded. "You!"  
  
"You use idols!" the girl said. "Boys, girls, regardless of age!"  
  
"You brainwash people!" the boy said. "Such greed! The taxation office won't allow that!"  
  
"We are an army foot soldier and a newcomer beautiful idol," the girl continued. "The real   
us are...." She paused as she held up her pen and the boy held up a stick from which a   
blade emerged. "Moon Power Transform!"  
  
"Star Sword Power Transform!"  
  
They quickly changed. "Codename: Sailor V," the girl announced. "The sailor-suited   
beautiful soldier of justice, I am Sailor Venus!"  
  
"Codename: Masked Knight," the boy announced. "The sailor-suited handsome soldier of   
justice, I am Sailor Knight!"  
  
Sailor V knocked the door open with her boomerang. "Everyone!" she shouted. "Take shelter!"  
  
"You're interrupting me, Sailor V! Masked Knight!" Fluorite growled. "Put an end to them!"  
  
The Dark Agency's idols started to go after them. Masked Knight kicked a Dark Guy away. "We   
don't have any business with you," he stated. "Avalanche Barrage!" He blasted them with a   
barrage of stone spikes.  
  
"My pretty clones!" Fluorite yelled angrily. "I'll stop this!"  
  
"Crescent Boomerang!" Sailor V yelled and flung her boomerang at her. The boomerang hit   
her, but she didn't stop.  
  
"Ohhh! She's still attacking! I've got a bad feeling...."  
  
"Let me have a go," Masked Knight said. "Earth Thrust!" he shouted, flinging a huge stone   
spike at her. The spike slammed hard into her, but didn't stop her either. "No good," he   
muttered frustratedly. "She's tough."  
  
Sailor V lifted her compact. "Venus Power! Love Crescent Shower! Pour down rain!" Rain   
began to fall, melting Fluorite to the ground.  
  
"Mina!" Artemis says. "You did it!"  
  
"Great job, Venus," Masked Knight said with a grin.  
  
"You did pretty good, too, Knight," Sailor V replied, returning his grin with an impish   
smile of her own. "For your first time, that is."   
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. She merely laughed in reply.  
  
"Hehe! I guess I showed I can do it, for once," she said smugly. "Ne, Artemis?"  
  
"No," he told her. "Those weren't the real enemies! There should be a more powerful enemy."  
  
"I see," Masked Knight said contemplatively as he glanced at where Fluorite once stood.  
  
"I understand," Sailor V replied. "We will practice more and more, for the day we defeat   
that powerful enemy. Right, Ryo-kun?"  
  
"Right, Minako-chan."  
  
**********************************************  
  
Minako and Ryoku passed two girls looking at a poster as she leaves the Crown Game Center.  
  
"Wow! Look, Naru-chan! The Sailor V game!" said the one with two long, blonde ponytails and   
a pair of odangos on her head.  
  
'Yes,' Minako thought as she shared a knowing smile with Ryoku. 'For that day.'  
  
**********************************************  
  
Disclaimer: All original materials belong to their respective owners. Sailor Moon belongs   
to Naoko Takeuchi and a bunch of big companies. No copyright infringement is intended. This   
story belongs me, so I would appreciate it very much if you would ask for permission before   
posting it anywhere else. Thank you.  
  
The Question and all stories included are:  
Copyright © July 6, 2001 Jason C. Ulloa.   
Manga translation by Alex Glover © 1996  
All Rights Reserved. 


	8. Chapter 7

Alone No More: Minako's Story  
by Jason C. Ulloa  
  
  
Chapter 7  
  
"Ryo-kun!" Minako called out as she saw her friend walking down the street. He glanced back   
at her for a moment, then continued walking. "Ryo-kun?" she called again, frowning in   
confusion. "What's wrong?" She started running up to him, trying to catch up. "Are you   
still upset about what happened when we fought Luga?"  
  
"You," he corrected flatly, "fought Luga. I just stood there like an idiot, watching." He   
paused for a moment in thought. "Then again... it wasn't exactly your fault you were sucked   
into that video game. I guess I just arrived too late to really help. Amano-kun must've   
gotten a kick out of being able to 'fight' alongside Sailor V, ne?" He turned back and kept   
on walking.  
  
Minako frowned again. "Then, is it because I went to Hawaii when I won that contest and you   
weren't there to help me fight the enemies that I found there?"  
  
"You went to Greece, Minako-chan," he corrected again. "Remember those souvenirs you gave   
me and Hikaru-chan? 'Made in Greece'?"  
  
"Oh...," she laughed in chagrin as she put a hand to the back of her head.  
  
He shook his head. "Well, you couldn't've known about the enemies there anyway." He   
suddenly halted and turned to look at her. Minako almost fell forward as she also came to   
an abrupt halt.  
  
"Do you want to know why I'm upset?" he asked. "Then, I'll tell you. So far, after becoming   
Masked Knight, I've only fought by your side once. That was against Fluorite. After that   
one fight, you've fought against three enemies by yourself without me to help you: Luga,   
Hibiskos, and Vivian.  
  
"Artemis told me about what happened when you fought Vivian," he continued. "I'm upset   
because I'm beginning to wonder if you really needed me in the first place. Am I truly so   
worthless as a partner that you don't even bother to try to find a way to call on me for   
backup?  
  
"It's not you I'm mad at," he said with a sad sigh. "It's me. I'm upset because I'm not an   
adequate soldier of justice." He brought out his stick and looked at it for a moment before   
handing it over to Minako. "Perhaps you should find a better partner than me to help you.   
I'm not good enough for you."  
  
Before Ryoku could pull away, Minako took his hand and handed him back his stick, covering   
his hand with her's. "Ryo-kun," she said firmly, "you are my partner. I don't want anyone   
else as my partner; only you. You helped me before you even became Masked Knight. Please,   
Ryo-kun, don't give up on me now. Maybe Artemis can find a way for us to contact each other   
in case of emergency."  
  
Ryoku looked back at Minako and sighed. "I don't know what I was thinking," he said shaking   
his head after a long moment of silence. "How could I ever abandon you? Forgive me?" he   
asked with a smile.  
  
"Always," she replied with a wink. "By the way," she added with a mischevious grin, "I   
never did tell you what happened when I fought Aloha Kamen while in Greece." As she told   
Ryoku what happened and described in detail the disguise she used to distract him, she had   
the extreme pleasure of seeing him turn a dark shade of red in embarrassment. She briefly   
considered showing him, but decided against it... for now. From the look on his face now,   
it would be a most interesting reaction when she did show him. Maybe he'd even have a   
nosebleed like like guy Hibiskos used, Aloha Kamen, did....  
  
**********************************************  
  
It was only a few days from Valentine's Day and this February, Minako was looking forward   
to the day more than usual. "It's almost Valentine's Day!" she shouted excitedly as she   
walked along the street with her friends. "Now cute and extraordinary chocolates are lined   
up all over, and it's fun wherever you go!"  
  
"Mina," one of the two girls asked, "who're giving a valentine to?"  
  
"Me?" Minako asked, stopping to think. "Well...." First, there was Higashi, but he died....   
'I sorta killed him,' she thought to herself in chagrin.  
  
Gamer Taku? He was a little nuts, but she at least she respected his gaming skills. 'I   
still have first place in Lovely Fight, though.'  
  
Amano.... To say, "I don't think so" would be the most polite thing she could say. 'That   
loser....'  
  
How about that guy at the arcade, Furuhata Motoki? 'Maybe....'  
  
Or, Saitou-senpai! Then again, he seems pretty violent. 'But he did kiss me... once. But, I   
was disguised at the time.... Good thing Ryo-kun wasn't there to see that. I don't know how   
he'd take it....'  
  
"How many pieces do you plan to give?" the girl continued before Minako had a chance to   
answer. "Obligatory-gift chocolate is out of fashion."  
  
"So, who's your sweetheart?" the second girl asked slyly. "Is it that boy we always see you   
hanging around with? Kino Ryoku?"  
  
"Sweetheart?" Minako exclaimed defensively. "I-I-I don't have a sweetheart!!! Ryo-kun's   
just a good friend of mine! That's all!"  
  
"Oh...," the girls replied a little disappointedly. The three turned and began walking   
again.  
  
"There's nobody I like...," Minako said miserably to herself as they walked through the   
Shiba shopping district. "I'm probably going to have such a lonely youth."  
  
"Isn't that just a coincidence?" Artemis commented from Minako's arms, where he had been   
riding the whole time. "You could find someone to like right away."  
  
"Artemis!" she muttered softly so the others wouldn't hear. "You.... You've been REALLY   
rude to your mistress lately!" 'Even though you're a cat,' she thought to herself. "You're   
so cold to the fact that I don't have anyone to give chocolates to. I'll only be giving   
them to you, dad, and Ryo-kun."  
  
"That's fine with me," he replied. 'I love chocolate.'  
  
Suddenly, she realized that her friends had left her and ran over to a stand that was   
selling candy. "What's this?" she wondered. "Lots of people. Are they selling chocolates   
over the counter?"  
  
"Two rainbow chocolates!" the first girl called out.  
  
"I'll take five!" the other girl shouted. Each girl tried to be seen amidst the other girls   
clustering around the booth.  
  
"Here you go!" the woman behind the counter said as she passed out boxes of chocolates to   
her customers. "Everyone, get in line!"  
  
"Mina...," Artemis said as he saw her walking over to the counter.  
  
"Wow!" Minako exclaimed as she looked over at the displayed chocolates. Each candy was   
coated with a light rainbow-colored sugar powder, giving them a glittery look. "Those   
chocolates are SO pretty! Rainbow chocolate, eh?" She glanced at the price. "Hundred yen a   
piece? That's cheap! Me, too!" she called out to the woman. "I want three!"  
  
As soon as she received her purchase, she walked off, ready to enjoy her rainbow   
chocolates. "This looks good! Ehehe!" She unwrapped one small box, then tossed the wrapper   
over her shoulder.  
  
"Hey, you!" Wakagi shouted as he pointed at Minako. "Don't throw your trash on public   
streets! Your teachers at school may let you get away with that, but the police won't!"  
  
'Oh!' she thought to herself. 'He's cute! Even with that angry face, he looks like a nice   
guy!' She walked over to where she dropped her wrapper, picked it up and tossed it into a   
wastebasket. With a final glance at Wakagi, she walked away with Artemis.  
  
"Hmph. Every year, every year," Wakagi muttered tiredly to himself. "Before Valentine's   
Day, I feel like giving up this patrol. The whole city gets crazy with merriment. The   
crimes get more and more numerous...."  
  
"Mina!" Artemis chided as soon as they were out of anyone's earshot. "How many times do I   
have to tell you? Okay? You have an important mission. Love is forbidden! A soldier of   
justice has no use for it!"  
  
"Come on, Artemis!" Minako retorted. "It's not like I want to marry the guy!" She grimaced.   
'Jeez, marriage....' She glanced back at Artemis. "I mean, I don't even have a sweetheart.   
Relax!" She glanced back over where Wakagi was. "I wonder if that guy's from around here.   
I'd like to talk to him some more."  
  
"Talk to who some more?" Ryoku asked as he walked up to them.  
  
"Ryo-kun!" Minako greeted with a grin. "Hi!" She noticed a bag hanging from his left hand.   
"Did you just finish shopping?"  
  
"Eh? Oh, this?" he asked, lifting the bag. "Yeah, I did. It's a bunch of stuff that Boss   
asked me to get after I told her about our little communications problem."  
  
Artemis' expression turned to one of great interest. "Really, Ryo-kun? Can I see?" He put   
his head into the bag as soon as Ryoku placed the bag on the ground. "It's a bunch of   
electrical parts."  
  
"Hai," Ryoku agreed. "Boss wants me to put them together. She also said that she'd lead me   
through the assembly, step by step. If I don't mess up, we should have a means of   
communicating with each other. Boss calls the devices 'communicators', appropriately   
enough."  
  
"Really?" Minako asked, interested, as she popped one of the rainbow chocolates into her   
mouth. "Yummy!" she suddenly exclaimed. "Feels like I'm melting away! Like a rainbow of   
flavors! I've never tasted a chocolate like this!" She popped another one into her mouth.   
'Actually, maybe instead of giving these to someone, I'll just keep them for myself!' she   
thought as she enjoyed the flavor.  
  
"Oh, yeah, no need for concern...," he muttered as he glanced exasperatedly at Minako.  
  
"Can I try one?" Ryoku asked as he watched Minako thoroughly enjoying her chocolates. "Are   
they really that good?"  
  
"Oooh, you just have to try it, Ryo-kun," she told him, handing him one. "They're selling   
them at the booth back there. You might have to wait quite a while, though. There was quite   
a long line of girls."  
  
"For Valentine's Day candies, no doubt," he remarked. "If it was March, all the boys would   
be lined up for White Day candies." He popped the chocolate in his mouth, then grinned.   
"Ara! This is good!" He glanced over at the booth. "Maybe I should stock up... for White   
Day, of course," he ammended.  
  
"Of course," she replied with a knowing grin as she watched him head over to the booth.   
"Hey! If he gets enough, maybe he'll give me some as a White Day present! All right!"  
  
Artemis merely shook his head and grumbled to himself. 'Not you, too, Ryo-kun....'  
  
**********************************************  
  
At the Dark Agency's office, Danburite grimaced as he glanced down of names. Narkissos,   
Pandora, Petite Pandora, Fluorite, Luga, Hibiskos, Vivian.... Each name was crossed out.   
  
"Thanks to Sailor V and Masked Knight, every one of our operations has failed," he observed   
dismally. "We're having a hard time gathering energy. My neck's really out on the line   
here.... The end of the Dark Agency could be near...."  
  
"Now, now, Danburite-sama!" the woman from the chocolate booth said. "Calm yourself by   
eating some of these sweets! Just leave things to me, Debrine. I'll get you lots of energy!   
I'll take care of the Dark Agency's fundraising, too." She left a platter of rainbow   
chocolates on his desk as she turned and left. Danburite just glanced at the chocolates for   
a moment, then went back to brooding.  
  
"I'm not in the mood for chocolates."  
  
**********************************************  
  
In her office at the Metropolitan Police Board, the superintendent-general was enjoying   
herself as she popped another rainbow chocolate into her mouth. "Oh, these are good!" she   
exclaimed happily. "It's been ages since I've had rainbow chocolates. That's it, for   
Valentine's Day, I'm giving these." Her expression then turned to one of regret. "But, I'm   
the superintendent-general of the Metropolitan Police Board, Sakurada Natsuna, and really,   
I want to give chocolates to V-chan! She's my favorite! Doesn't anyone know where she   
lives?!?" She sighed to herself. "Because of all this stress from not being able to meet   
V-chan, I've lost weight. Really...."  
  
She stood up, opened the door, and stuck her head out. "Wakagi!" she shouted impaitiently.   
She tapped her foot as she waited for him, casually stepping aside as he all but barreled   
into the office.  
  
"It's your fault, you good-for-nothing!" she reprimanded disdainfully. "You can't catch   
Sailor V!"  
  
"It's not my fault!" Wakagi exclaimed, trying to explain.  
  
In response, Natsuna merely pointed to a chart on the wall. "Look at this, Wakagi!" she   
scolded as she pointed to an almost flat blue line. "This is your record as a special   
police officer. Your capture rate almost zero! Now compare that with Sailor V's capture   
rate. Look!" she said as she pointed to a steadily inclining red line. "It's just going up!   
And here!" She pointed to a new third silver line that began just recently. "This is the   
capture rate of Sailor V's new partner, Masked Knight. His capture rate is rapidly going up   
as well!"  
  
"If you like them that much," he muttered, "why don't you get them to work for the special   
police yourself? You can meet Sailor V and Masked Knight all you want at the crime scenes."  
  
"Wakagi! That's your job!!" she shouted. "Got that? Your duty is to solve suspicious,   
strange incidents, build my reputation, and get Sailor V! And Masked Knight as well!" she   
added almost as an afterthought.  
  
'Since when is getting Sailor V my job...?' he wondered to himself. 'Now I've got to get   
this Masked Knight, too?'  
  
"Next time you get outdone by V," she warned, "if you let her or Masked Knight slip through   
your fingers, I'll send you to Siberia!!"  
  
"Si-Si-Siberia!?" he exclaimed in shock.  
  
**********************************************  
  
A few days later, Minako and a couple of her friends were talking with Ryoku when one of   
the girls suddenly wriggled uncomfortably in her uniform.  
  
"Man, my chest is tight," she remarked irritably as she shifted again.  
  
"No way," the other girl added. "Mine, too."  
  
"Me, too," Minako addeed. "And my skirt's gotten so tight...."  
  
"My Sailor V socks...," the first girl lamented as she glanced down at her feet. "They're   
all stretched out."  
  
'Has she... gained weight?' the second girl thought to herself.  
  
'Hmm...,' Ryoku thought to himself, 'each of them has gotten a little bigger since they   
bought all those rainbow chocolates. It's a good thing I've only had a quarter of a box   
since buying them... even though the temptation to eat all of them right now is a little   
rough.'  
  
"Hey, want some rainbow chocolate?" the first girl asked.  
  
"Yes, please!" Minako replied eagerly. "Those are good!"  
  
'Should I tell Minako-chan to ease up a little?' he wondered to himself. 'Nah. I'll just   
suggest she work out a little more. Besides, those chocolates are good.'  
  
"I'll have a piece as well," he added. "Just one, though. Don't wanna overdo it, ne,   
Minako-chan?" He glanced over at her to see if she got the hint, but sweatdropped as he saw   
her stuff five into her mouth at once. "Never mind...."  
  
**********************************************  
  
"I'm home!" Minako called out as she darted into the house and headed up to her room. "Oh,   
I'm tired. Think I'll take a shower."  
  
"Mina...," Artemis began as she headed toward her door.  
  
"Yeees?" she asked as she reached for the doorknob.  
  
"You've got some flesh sticking out of your skirt."  
  
"Huh?" she gasped as she stared down at the flesh roll just barely sticking out between her   
skirt and uniform shirt.  
  
"Mina, have you... put on a little weight?" he asked pointedly.  
  
At that remark, she screamed as she dashed into the bathroom and leaped onto the scale.   
"Aaaah! I've gained 4 kilograms! Oh no! Oh no!!!" She put a hand to the offending flesh   
roll. "Is it all that chocolate?!?"  
  
"I can't think of anything else," the white cat commented as he padded into the bathroom.   
"I don't want to look at some porky Sailor V. And I'm sure Ryo-kun wouldn't, either."  
  
"You shut up, Artemis!" Minako snapped angrily. "It's fine! Just 4 kilograms, I'll work it   
off with my everyday training! Right away! But...." She glanced wistfully back toward her   
room. "My mouth is empty...." She headed back to her room, but Artemis beat her there.  
  
"Don't worry, I'll take care of these," he told her as he ate all the remaining rainbow   
chocolates.  
  
Minako stared in shock at the empty box for a second, then turned angrily toward the white   
cat. "Artemiiiis!!!"  
  
**********************************************  
  
"I've gained weight again!" Natsuna exclaimed as she weighed herself in her office at the   
Metropolitan Police Board. "Since I've been sampling all these chocolates, I've put on six   
kilograms! Is that the reason I'm gaining all this weight?"  
  
One of her officers stepped into her office and paused at he noticed her weighing herself.   
"You know, Chief, lately you've been looking a little pudgy...," he remarked.  
  
Her only response was a sigh.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"What can I do?" a girl moaned as she started home from school. "With this fat body, I   
can't give valentine chocolates! He won't like me!"  
  
"Take one!" a woman said as she walked by, handing her a flyer. "Here you go, take one!"   
She continued on her way, handing out flyers.  
  
The girl looked down at the flyer in her hand and started to read. "Este de Brine: Get your   
ideal proportions! If you act now, the full course is FREE! Huh?" She blinked as she read   
the flyer again. Este de Brine? The full course is free!? I want to lose weight by   
Valentine's Day! I have to go!!"  
  
**********************************************  
  
Wakagai sat on one of the many benches in Shiba Park, reading the newspaper. An article   
about Este de Brine caught his eye, especially after noting the rise in chocolate sales and   
the weight gain in schoolgirls.  
  
"This is suspicious!" he said to himself as he stood. "Smells like trouble! This chocolate   
company and Este must be working together. When suspicious stuff starts going down, Sailor   
V always...!" He balled up the newspaper angrily and thrust it into the wastebasket next to   
the bench. "Hurry and show up! Damn V! This time, I'll get you! You and your partner,   
Masked Knight!"  
  
Nearby, Minako sat on another bench with Hikaru and Ryoku. "What am I going to do...?" she   
moaned sadly. "I gained weight again!"  
  
"If all you eat is chocolate, you're bound to gain weight," Hikaru told her.  
  
"Maybe you should start cutting down on the chocolate?" Ryoku suggested.  
  
"But, they're so good...," Minako replied. "These rainbow chocolates. Haven't either of you   
ever yielded to temptation? Hikaru-chan? Ryo-kun?"  
  
"Self-control is the foundation of dieting, Mina," Hikaru said proudly. 'Always oolong   
tea!' she thought with a mental grin.  
  
Ryoku nodded sagely. "Hikaru-chan is right, Minako-chan. With no self-control, you won't be   
able to control your urges. You can pretty much guess where it goes from there."  
  
"Got it!" Minako stated as she confidently stood up from the bench. "No matter what, I'm   
going to lose weight!" She turned to see Hikaru and Ryoku grinning encouragingly at her.   
'Like Artemis said, I don't want to die a porky Sailor V! Besides, I don't want Ryo-kun to   
have a porky Sailor V for a partner.' She broke a twig off a nearby tree and held her fist   
up determinedly. "I'll do it!"  
  
"Hey, come on now!" Wakagi shouted as he walked up to them. "What are you doing breaking   
public property! You're getting a fine! A fine!"  
  
"Oh no!" she gasped apologetically. "I'm sorry!" She blinked as she recognized who it was.   
'Oh!! It's him!'  
  
Wakagi blinked as he looked at her. "Huh?" he said, half to himself. 'The same red   
ribbon....'  
  
Hikaru and Ryoku took that opportunity to drag Minako away. 'Hey, wait! Let's talk some   
more!' she thought to herself as she let herself be dragged away.  
  
'Mina!' Hikaru and Ryoku thought to themselves as they dragged the smitten Minako away.  
  
"Wait...," he said again as he glanced at Ryoku. "That boy's ponytail...." He paused and   
shook his head in chagrin. "Oh boy.... Thinking everyone looks like Sailor V and Masked   
Knight.... I'm going crazy." He started to leave then halted as he spotted a building that   
wasn't there recently. "What?"  
  
"A new building?" Hikaru said as she and the others spotted it as well.  
  
"Este?" Ryoku said as he read the sign on the building.  
  
"Full course for free?" Wakagi said as he read the posters placed on the walls.   
"Suspicious."  
  
"Hmm...," Ryoku said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I wonder...."  
  
"Free???" Minako exclaimed excitedly. "No way! I want to go!"  
  
"Meow," Artemis said as he padded over to her and leaped into her arms.  
  
"Artemis!" she said as she moved closer to Ryoku so he could hear without letting the   
others hear as well.  
  
"Mina! What're you doing?" the white cat admonished. "You don't have time for detours,   
being a soldier of justice! Hurry and get home for training! Shape up!" He glanced   
meaningfully at her. "Don't you want to lose weight?"  
  
"Don't be so hard on her, Artemis," Ryoku interjected. "Of course, Minako-chan wants to   
lose weight. In fact, I'm gonna help her lose it as fast as she wants to go."  
  
"Really?" she asked. He nodded. "Thank you, Ryo-kun!"  
  
"Well? Shall we get started, then?"  
  
**********************************************  
  
In the Este de Brine building, Debrine began to lecture the group of overweight girls who   
had arrived to learn how to lose weight quickly.  
  
"And so, everyone," she concluded, "heavy girls look better! Boys like glamour girls. This   
is the age of plump girls being popular! Still, for those of you who want to lose a little   
weight, you can do so for an extra fee."  
  
As soon as she collected the girls' money, she led them to a room lined with strange   
capsule like devices. She directed each girl to lie in a capsule, which then began to drain   
them of their energy. As soon as the girls were finshed, Debrine brought out a mirror which   
was warped in certain areas. When the girls saw their reflections in the mirror, they saw   
an illusion of themselves as having lost weight.  
  
"Wow! I've lost so much weight!" one girl exclaimed happily.  
  
"Thank you!" Debrine said cheerily.  
  
"I feel sort of dizzy," she observed. "But, if I lost weight, I must be okay."  
  
'Heh heh heh. Everyone, you can't lose weight,' Debrine thought smugly to herself. 'Girls   
who want to lose weight will get the impression that they have when they look in these   
mirrors. Keep on eating the rainbow chocolates I made and keep on gaining weight. Then,   
come to Este de Brine. And when you've gained plenty of weight, I'll take plenty of your   
energy. And your money, too!'  
  
**********************************************  
  
February 14 seemed to come quickly. All over, girls were presenting their sweethearts and   
loved ones with presents. Most of them gave the rainbow chocolates that seemed to have   
become quite the rage with the young girls. Minako, however, was a little busy that day....  
  
"All right, Venus," Masked Knight said flatly as he assumed a defensive fighting stance.   
"Come at me again."  
  
Sailor V sighed tiredly. "Aww, come on! We've been at this for three hours! Come on,   
Knight, can't we take a break?"  
  
He considered her request for only a second. "If you want to take a break, Venus, then go   
ahead. I won't stop you. Let me know when you're ready to continue."  
  
She sat down in one of the chairs in the command center that Ryoku had brought into the   
room. She didn't bother to change back yet; last time she did, she ached all over from the   
workout she had went through with him. This time, she decided to stay as Sailor V for the   
duration. One of the advantages being Sailor V had was that she healed quickly. Aches and   
bruises vanished rapidly.  
  
Off to the far end of the room was a table with various electrical components that Ryoku   
was putting together on Boss' request. Today, she had glanced at the finished device for a   
second while Ryoku began to warm up, like he did before each one of their practice   
sessions. Until the second one was finished, they wouldn't know if he had put them together   
right or not. The communicator was interesting to look at though.  
  
Sailor V glanced over at Masked Knight at the other side of the room. He had just taken out   
his stick, or rather, his sword and was now standing in a fighting stance. She had never   
seen him use his sword as a weapon yet, so she settled herself in her seat to watch him.  
  
Masked Knight suddenly leaped into motion, fluidly performing quick, complex, and even   
dangerous techniques with his sword. Her eyes remained fixed on him thoughout the routine.   
She had never known that he had that kind of skill with a sword! As she watched the routine   
come to an end and he began to go through the motions of sheathing his sword - even though   
his sword didn't have a sheathe - one thought came to mind: Ryoku was a boy of many talents.  
  
"That was incredible, Knight!" she applauded. "Where'd you learn how to do that?"  
  
Masked Knight shrugged his shoulders. "Don't know. Just natural talent, I suppose." He   
glanced down at her as he put his sword, now a stick again, away. "By the way, Venus,   
you're looking much better. Just a few more days and you'll be back to your own beautiful   
figure again. Ready to get back to work again?"  
  
Sailor V blushed slightly at the compliment. 'He called me beautiful....' She smiled at him   
as she stood up. "I'm ready to go! Let's get to it!"  
  
**********************************************  
  
A few days later, Artemis joined Minako and Ryoku in the command center. He brought a   
newspaper with him in his mouth. "Look at this," he said as he tossed it at Ryoku.  
  
"Fat is in fashion," Ryoku read. "But only rainbow chocolates." His expression turned to   
one of bewilderment. "What does this mean?"  
  
"Everyone's beginning to look a little chubby," he said. "It's odd.... It smells like an   
enemy!"  
  
"Artemis! Look!" Minako said eagerly. "Look! I lost weight! I'm almost back to normal!" She   
spun around to show off her progress. "And since I've lost weight, I can have a few rainbow   
chocolates.... Artemis!" Her eyes widened as she spotted the white cat scanning one of her   
last chocolates with one of the computers.  
  
"Boss!" he said, glancing up at the main computer when the scan was complete.  
  
"Find something?" Ryoku asked, looking up as well.  
  
"I'm getting abnormal reactions from these chocolates!" Boss announced. "Making people gain   
weight unnecessarily, it must be the work of the enemies! Mina! Ryoku! Take action!"  
  
"What?" Minako exclaimed angrily. "The enemies made me gain weight?!? I won't allow that,   
Boss! Come on, Ryo-kun!"  
  
"Right!" Ryoku agreed as he followed her out with Artemis close behind.  
  
The three ran to the chocolate booth they had visited before, but it was no longer there.  
  
"What!? A swindler!" Minako yelled. "That chocolate store is gone!"  
  
"If that's true, it's another suspicious thing!" Artemis stated.  
  
"Or maybe it's because Valentine's is over...," Ryoku added. "But we have to be sure...."   
He trailed off as he noticed a girl walk out of the Este de Brine building.  
  
"Oh, great," she murmured happily as she left the building. "I've lost so much weight!"  
  
"Hey!" Minako observed. "She hasn't lost any weight at all!"  
  
"She looks strange!" Artemis added.  
  
"We'd better check out this place," Ryoku suggested. Minako and Artemis nodded their   
agreement.  
  
Another crowd started for the building, but was quickly intercepted and held back by Wakagi   
as he began to approach the building. "I'm the police! If you're not concerned with this,   
keep out! I'm investigating!"  
  
"Police?" Artemis said worriedly. "Uh-oh."  
  
"He'll get in the way," Ryoku added. "We need to distract him."  
  
"Hey! It's him!" Minako exclaimed.  
  
"Him?" Ryoku repeated as he took a good look. "Oh. The policeman at Shiba Park."  
  
"Yeah!" she told him. "Let's go! Crescent Moon Power Transform! I'm transforming with   
energy! Change me into a beautiful secretary! Change Ryoku into a handsome businessman!"   
Minako appeared in a professional-looking red dress blouse and skirt, while Ryoku appeared   
in a sharp gray business suit and black necktie. Thin-rimmed glasses appeared on his face   
just above his nose.  
  
"Pardon me," Minako said as she brushed past Wakagi, leading Ryoku behind her. "I am the   
president's personal secretary. I must bring this man to see him, since he's his business   
partner."  
  
"Excuse me," Wakagi said politely. "I'm Wakagi, of the Metro Police special forces. Would   
you show me to the president's office?"  
  
"Sure, I'd love to!" she replied with a smile. "So, you're with the police? Wakagi-sama.   
Handsome name." Ryoku pointedly ignored Minako's flirting as he followed her and Wakagi.  
  
"Now!" several people in the crowd exclaimed. "We want into Este de Brine, too!"  
  
"Look out!" Wakagi and Ryoku shouted as they both rushed over to Minako and covered her   
protectively as the crowd charged past.  
  
'Mina... It's the first time you've been protected by a man...,' she thought excitedly to   
herself as she looked up at the policeman and Ryoku, 'let alone, two. Wakagi-sama's new   
suit, his starched shirt, his regimental tie. His arms are strained, protecting me. His and   
Ryo-kun's, but he's elite. I can tell, from the way he smells. Wakagi-sama....' Her gaze   
shifted over to Ryoku. 'And Ryo-kun.... Brave, loyal, Ryoku. His name means 'strength'...   
and he surely does have a quiet strength about him. Always ready to come to my aid whenever   
I need him; even if I don't know that I need him. He's always doing his best, just for me.   
I can always depend on him. My dear friend, Ryoku....'  
  
"You okay?" Wakagi asked as he and Ryoku helped her to her feet.  
  
"You aren't hurt?" Ryoku asked.  
  
"I'm fine," Minako replied with a smile.  
  
"I'd like to go to the president's office, so...," Wakagi prompted.  
  
"Oh, right!" she said in chagrin as she rubbed the back of head. "The president's office."   
She glanced over at Ryoku, who just shrugged in reply. 'Umm.... Anou.... Where would that   
be...,' she wondered nervously. 'I'm in trouble. Oh, and I want to investigate some   
more....' Finally, she decided to just look through the building. The president's office   
had to be somewhere around.  
  
After a time of searching the building, they came across the room where Debrine extracted   
the energy from her customers. "Heh heh," she laughed wickedly. "I'll take lots of energy   
from your plump flesh, and I will gain from it. With my operations, I'll take all your   
energy and your money. Heh heh."  
  
"Now who is that!?" Wakagi said. "She looks suspicious! Is that Este?"  
  
'An enemy!?' Minako thought to herself.  
  
"Who's there!?" Debrine shouted as she spun towards them.  
  
'Oh no!' Minako and Ryoku thought to themselves.  
  
"Meow! Meow!" Artemis shouted as he came up behind them.  
  
'Mina! Gotta transform!' Minako thought urgently to herself as she reached for a nearby   
vase sitting on the carpeted floor. 'Wakagi-sama, forgive me!' She was about to crack the   
vase over Wakagi's head when she saw that Ryoku had already moved. The policeman was now   
lying unconscious on the floor, while Ryoku stood above him with his transformation stick   
in hand. With a nod, they both turned toward Debrine; the blade of Ryoku's Star Sword   
appearing as fast as thought.  
  
"You make people eat and gain weight," she shouted angrily. "You're like an enemy from   
Hansel and Gretel! As the president's personal secretary, I can't permit your management   
policy!"  
  
Ryoku sweatdropped in chagrin, but since she was taking her part so far.... "Who are you?"   
Ryoku demanded. "As the president's business partner, I can't condone what you've been   
doing at the company's expense!" There. Now, he felt like a proper idiot.  
  
"Who are you!?" Debrine demanded. "Such stylish people are still left!? No matter. I am   
Debrine, and you two will soon join the others."  
  
"Not likely," he countered. "Star Sword Power Transform!"  
  
"Moon Power Transform!!" Minako shouted only a half second behind him. "Codename: Sailor V!   
I have unrivaled style! The soldier of justice, the sailor-suited beautiful soldier, I am   
Sailor Venus!"  
  
"Codename: Masked Knight!" he said, flourishing his sword. "I have unrivaled flair! The   
soldier of justice, the sailor-suited handsome soldier, I am Sailor Knight!"  
  
"I won't allow your style!" Debrine yelled. "From now on, girls' rice skin will be rice   
fat! Rainbow Chocolate Attack!" She hurled a storm of rainbow chocolates at Sailor V and   
Masked Knight.  
  
Masked Knight quickly stepped between the chocolates and Sailor V. "No! We will not allow   
you to try to fatten us up with your sweets! Masked Knight Flashing Sword Dance!" His Star   
Sword flashed through the air, slicing up rainbow chocolates wherever it passed.  
  
"My turn!" Sailor V announced. "V-chan's Rub Out Sailor V Chop!" She leaped forward and   
struck at Debrine, striking her across her shoulders.  
  
"Yeouuuch!" she yelped as she jumped back.  
  
"Debrine! To lose weight, you have to exercise!" Sailor V stated. "And thanks to your   
workout with me, I'll lose weight for sure!" She quickly brought out her compact. "I don't   
have time to waste looking at you anymore! Maiden enemy! I'll wipe out you and your   
chocolates! Crescent Slender Beam!"  
  
"Earth Thrust!" Masked Knight added for good measure.  
  
Debrine screamed as the attack struck her and destroyed her. No sooner did Debrine die than   
the building began to collapse around them. Masked Knight quickly scooped up Wakagi as they   
dashed out of their before they became trapped inside.  
  
"The Este de Brine building's health has been wiped away, too," Sailor V remarked as they   
watched the dust settle.  
  
"Good ridance," Masked Knight added as he tapped his sword on the ground, knocking the rest   
of the rainbow chocolate on the ground next to Wakagi, who had just now woke up from his   
'nap'.  
  
"Uhh... Sailor V! Masked Knight!" he shouted as he leaped to his feet and surveyed the   
wreckage. "You! You did this, didn't you!" His gaze fell on the chocolate pieces still   
stuck on Masked Knight's Star Sword. "Oh! Don't let those chocolates get near me! Those   
chocolates! I'm resolute. I hate sweets!" The stress finally got to him and he collapsed.  
  
"Someone definitely needs a vacation," Masked Knight commented under his breath as he knelt   
down to check on him. He stood back up once he found that he was fine.  
  
"Wakagi-sama?!?" Sailor V exclaimed when she saw him faint. She glanced down at the, once   
again, unconscious Wakagi. "Huh. Chocolate is bad for Wakagi-sama. But even though   
Valentine's is over, not participating in it kind of disqualifies me as a girl."  
  
Unnoticed behind them, Artemis slowly tried to free himself from being trapped underneath   
the rubble. "Uhh...," he moaned weakly. "Somebody help me...."  
  
She glanced from Masked Knight down to Wakagi and back to her partner again. "It might be a   
little late, but...."  
  
"What are you talking about, Venus?" Masked Knight asked curiously, raising one eyebrow.  
  
Sailor V just smiled. "For Valentine's Day, my sweethearts this year are the men who   
protected me." She walked over to Masked Knight and kissed him on his left cheek. Masked   
Knight said nothing, but blushed red. She then bent down to kiss Wakagi on the cheek, but   
as she did so, a button popped off her skirt. She sweatdropped as Masked Knight caught the   
button in midair and handed it back to her.  
  
"I guess you still have an inch or two to lose," he said in chagrin. He grimaced as he   
glanced around. "I think I'll go see where Artemis has gotten to."  
  
"Uh-oh!" Sailor V gasped as she realized something. "All those overweight people have to be   
returned to normal." She brought out her compact again. "Venus Power! Love Crescent Shower!   
Pour down rain!" Golden rain poured down over the people, causing them to snap out of their   
trances, but not reduce in size.  
  
"Huh...?"  
  
"What!? I was supposed to go to Este and lose weight!"  
  
"Oh no! I haven't lost weight!"  
  
Sailor V stared in befuddlement. "What!? Why!? Their bodies have hardly gone back to   
normal!" A thought hit her. "Uh-oh! Were those rainbow chocolates as fatty as real   
chocolates? Oh no! Now what!?"  
  
"Somebody.... Put me back to normal...."  
  
"Gotta do it somehow. This fat body is horrible!"  
  
Papers and candy suddenly began to fall from the sky. The overweight people caught some of   
the falling items and began to examine them.  
  
"What are these? Flyers?"  
  
"Candy?"  
  
"Look! These flyers are dieting cures!"  
  
"Mine is a weight-loss diet through bean curd!"  
  
"Weight-loss tea! This has a store with it!"  
  
"These are diet candies!"  
  
"What's going on!?" Sailor V wondered aloud. "They're falling from the sky!? From where!?   
From who!?"  
  
Masked Knight walked back to Sailor V's side carrying a slightly battered Artemis in his   
arms. "Up there," he said, nodding toward a masked man standing atop a building, tossing   
candy into the air.  
  
"That's...!" Artemis exclaimed.  
  
Inside that storm, the downpour of candies... was a new beginning. The beginning of a new   
chapter in Sailor V's battle.  
  
"He's cute!" Sailor V exclaimed. "Who is it, who is it!? I can't see his face well, but his   
style is flashy! He looks tall! His face must be nice, too! Oh, I wish I could give   
chocolates to him! Are these candies.... My White Day present? Little early, though...."  
  
Masked Knight and Artemis exchanged glances and sweatdropped.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Well, Wakagi," Natsuna said back at the Metropolitan Police Board. "Now your capture rate   
is zero! A promise is a promise."  
  
Days later, at the Metropolitan Police Board branch in Siberia, Wakagi began to shiver.  
  
"Why do they have a branch in this place!?" he exclaimed miserably. "Why!? Damn it! It's   
all Sailor V's fault!!"  
  
**********************************************  
  
Disclaimer: All original materials belong to their respective owners. Sailor Moon belongs   
to Naoko Takeuchi and a bunch of big companies. No copyright infringement is intended. This   
story belongs me, so I would appreciate it very much if you would ask for permission before   
posting it anywhere else. Thank you.  
  
The Question and all stories included are:  
Copyright © July 6, 2001 Jason C. Ulloa.   
Manga translation by Alex Glover © 1996  
All Rights Reserved. 


	9. Chapter 8

Alone No More: Minako's Story  
by Jason C. Ulloa  
  
  
Chapter 8  
  
Minako stared dreamily out the window, pondering over the events from yesterday. Especially   
near the end.  
  
'It's good I beat the maiden enemy, Debrine, last time, but everyone's overweight figures   
haven't returned to normal,' she thought. 'I'm at a loss. That mysterious man who appeared   
before me and Ryo-kun. Who on earth could it be? Even through his mask, I knew. He likes   
me. He was looking at me.'  
  
"Aino!!" the teacher shouted as he spotted Minako's inattentiveness. "What was the name of   
the military commander of Takeda, who lost the Battle of Nagashino on May 21st of the third   
year of Tenshou's reign!?"  
  
"I know, I know!" she said, not really paying attention to the question. Instead, she   
answered one ofher own. "Like Superman, like Gekkou Kamen, or Ninja Kamui, or Golgo 13, or   
Captain Harlock, or the Terminator, he was kind of young. The man who came to save me was   
surely my prince!"  
  
Ryoku winced at her answer. Not only was she not even close to being minutely correct, but   
he knew what she was referring to... aside from the anime and movie references. That masked   
man. Like her, he wondered who he was, but he knew an Aino Minako crush when he saw one. He   
only hoped that she'd still be able to focus when they were needed. 'Now I'm starting to   
sound like Artemis,' he thought with a grimace.  
  
"Go to the back!" came the inevitable reply. "Now, Kino-kun...." He turned his gaze toward   
Ryoku and grinned. "Why don't you answer the question? I'm sure you know the answer."  
  
Ryoku froze. He didn't know; he'd forgotten what the question was. His mind must've also   
drifted towards that masked man. "Anou...," he began penitently, "what was the question   
again?"  
  
The teacher's eyebrows lifted. It wasn't very often that Ryoku, who was one of his best   
students, would faulter that badly. Maybe that Aino girl he was good friends with was   
finally becoming a bad influence on him. He had hoped it would've been the other way around.  
  
"To the back!"  
  
Ryoku sighed and joined his friend at the back of the class. Minako gave him a silent,   
consoling pat on the shoulder as he stood by her side and went back to thinking about the   
masked man from yesterday.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Jeez, Mina," Artemis said as he joined her and Ryoku as they walked home from school. "You   
embarrassed yourself. The soldier of justice, Sailor V, forced to stand in the back of the   
class. How low." He then glanced at Ryoku. "I'm more than shocked that the same thing   
happened to you, Ryoku. Weren't you supposed to be one of the brighter students? And the   
soldier of justice, Masked Knight, stood right by his partner... at the back of the class."   
He sighed heavily. "It's a dark day for us."  
  
Ryoku irritably rolled his eyes at the white cat. "Cut the melodrama, Artemis," he muttered   
dryly.  
  
"Besides, Artemis," Minako added brightly, "nothing you say to me now matters."  
  
"We don't know what's up with that guy from last time," Artemis said insistantly. "Just   
after he appeared, he vanished. Is he a new enemy, or an ally? Who is that guy?!?" Ryoku   
silently nodded as he frowned thoughtfully.  
  
"Mina! Ryo-kun!" Hikaru yelled as she ran up to them.  
  
"Hikaru-chan!" they greeted back. Minako was the only one who waved as Ryoku was holding   
Artemis.  
  
"Want to go for some food at the Azabu Juuban shopping center?" Hikaru asked eagerly.  
  
"Yeah, let's go!" Minako agreed as the two girls took off, leaving Ryoku to catch up with   
them.  
  
"Minako-chan! Hikaru-chan! Chotto matte yo!!!" he yelled loudly, trying to get them to slow   
down. Artemis just sweatdropped as Ryoku ran after them.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"You've taken that weight off nicely," Minako said to both of her friends. The two girls   
had joined the three of them after seeing them in the shopping center. They had just   
finished shopping for new clothes. The first girl had said that they wanted some new   
clothes to wear after dropping all the weight from those rainbow chocolates that had made   
almost everyone overweight during Valentine's day.  
  
"Yes," Ryoku added, "you both look better. Back to your original sizes?"  
  
She nodded. "That was strange, though. Those rainbow candies worked."  
  
"Me too, me too," the other girl added. "Since I lost the weight, my skin's become soft."  
  
"Thanks to that man and the rainbow candies."  
  
"That man is really a friend of girls."  
  
Ryoku's eyes narrowed thoughtfully as Artemis glanced from him to Minako. 'Mina may not be   
able to hear them, but I can,' Artemis thought. '"That man"?!? Rainbow candies?!?'  
  
The group of five continued walking until they passed by an electronics shop. A bunch of   
televisions were left on, allowing potential customers to watch outside on several   
different televisions at once. This was mainly so that they could compare the picture   
quality on the different sets, but a few people stopped just to watch TV.  
  
"Everyone's saying, 'I want to meet that man!!'" one TV blared suddenly as the group was   
about to walk past.  
  
"Eh?" Ryoku said as his right eyebrow raised curiously. They all stopped and turned toward   
the shop, looking at the biggest TV in the middle of the display.  
  
"Today's person is at the peak of popularity," the man stated. "'That man' is a friend of   
girls!"  
  
Ryoku blinked in surprise. Those were the same words used by one of Minako's friends.  
  
"Hey, what's this show?" Ryoku asked.  
  
'That man?' Artemis thought to himself.  
  
"Oh, oh!" Minako exclaimed to Ryoku as a silhouette of a young man appeared. "That man from   
before had the same silhouette!" Moments later, dozens of rainbow candies were flung into   
the air, filling the TV screen with candy. "Hey! A storm of candy!"  
  
An ace of hearts suddenly flew through the air on TV, and was caught by a the masked man as   
the camera focus turned on him. "I am Kaitou Ace!" he proclaimed as he flourished the   
playing card.  
  
"Look at the TV!" the first girl said, pointing at the TV. "It's Ace!"  
  
The second girl smiled as she nodded. "I watch every week! 'Kaitou Ace'!"  
  
'Kaitou? Mysterious thief?' Ryoku thought to himself. 'Strange name for a friend of   
girls....'  
  
"You seen it, Mina?" Hikaru asked, turning toward her friend. "It started recently. A new   
show starring this kid, 'Kaitou Ace'!"  
  
"What!?" Minako asked, blinking. "A TV show!?"  
  
"Yep," she replied, nodding. "A new idol in the world of television, Kaitou Ace. He fights   
alone against the evil order, Jack. A soldier of justice, veiled in mystery. But, he's not   
an ordinary soldier. He's very sweet. He gives stolen jewels to girls; he goes on dates   
with girls who can't get them; if a girl doesn't have a dress for the date, he gives her   
one; he looks for lost pets; he does your homework while you sleep. He helps suffering   
girls. He's a girl's best friend: Kaitou Ace!!"  
  
Ryoku yawned boredly. Another idol. By now, he was very wary of idols, having had to deal   
with the many idols of the Dark Agency. He didn't want to have to deal with yet another   
one. He was growing sick of idols.  
  
"Starring in this new program, in the role of Kaitou Ace, is Saijou Ace-kun," the man   
continued.  
  
"Hello," Ace said with a small bow.  
  
"No way!" Minako exclaimed excitedly. "That's him!? He's a hit, a hit! A big hit!!" Ryoku   
glanced at Minako and sweatdropped.  
  
"I think any girl can be pretty," Ace continued. "If all girls were pretty, I'd be happy.   
So, I want to help them with it."  
  
'I'm sure you would,' Ryoku thought coldly. There was something about that guy he didn't   
like... and it wasn't just his wariness of idols.  
  
"You're talking about the beauty candy you developed yourself," the man pointed out. "Your   
Kaitou Ace brand rainbow candy is a big hit! Congratulations!"  
  
"Ehehe. You're embarrassing me," Ace replied humbly. "It's good that everyone can become   
pretty."  
  
'Those candies from before?' Artemis wondered. 'Were those rainbow candies!?'  
  
"We were lucky to be on the film set before!" the first girl said, turning toward the other.  
  
"Yeah! From the roof of that building, Ace sprinkled that rainbow candy. We got lots for   
free!" She paused for a moment in thought. 'Actually, my memory before that is a little   
foggy....'  
  
"When we saw him before, it was a TV shoot?" Minako whispered over at Ryoku.  
  
He shrugged in reply. "That would explain why he was there." He frowned slightly. "I don't   
know, though. I mean, didn't the timing of that 'shoot' seem a little too... convenient? He   
appeared right after we finished off Debrine...."  
  
Minako glanced at Ryoku for a second. 'Was it just my imagination, or did he just sound   
like he was....' She shook her head as she turned back toward the TV. 'No, not Ryo-kun. I   
can't see a guy like him acting like that.'  
  
"Oh, Kaitou Ace! He's cool! There's no one like him! A friend of girls! Kaitou Ace!"  
  
"He says such nice things! Just like he says, I want to be pretty!!"  
  
Artemis glanced at the two girls from Ryoku's arms, then over at the TV. 'That guy from   
before was from a TV show.... But I'm worried about the rainbow candy. What if they turn   
out to be like Debrine's rainbow chocolates?'  
  
"Kaitou Ace!" Minako sighed dreamily. "Artemis, Hikaru-chan, what should I do? He's   
perfect. Can I chase after him?"  
  
Artemis and Hikaru looked at Minako and sweatdropped. Ryoku said merely shrugged and said   
nothing, but continued to stare at the TV screen. Artemis glanced up at his face.   
  
Although his expression was neutral, Ryoku was staring hard enough at Ace to bore a hole   
right through the TV.  
  
**********************************************  
  
At the Dark Agency's office, two pairs of eyes were watching the same program that the   
others were watching.  
  
"I think any girl can be pretty," Ace said. "If all girls were pretty, I'd be happy. So, I   
want to help them with it."  
  
"This is him?!?" the woman exclaimed in a slightly appalled tone of voice. "This? This   
talent's strategy is to go after girls' ultimate desire. We don't need to yield to him,   
too, Danburite-sama.  
  
"I am the final trump card of the Dark Agency, Heroine Maker," she proclaimed proudly. I am   
Fande, and it seems my turn is finally here. I will sell off the last and highest real   
estate of the Dark Agency. Then, we will surely rebuild our Dark Agency."  
  
"With our repeated failures, we've been forced into a difficult situation...," Danburite   
said with a sigh. "You were the most clever one of the Dark Agency. Let's see what you can   
do." With a grin, Fande bowed and disappeared. After Fande left, a slow, wide grin slid   
across his face.  
  
"It's almost time...."  
  
**********************************************  
  
At the Metropolitan Police Board, Chief Natsuna Sakurada sighed as she sat down at her   
desk. "Ohh, what now.... I have so much time, since Wakagi's gone.... I can't release all   
my built-up stress without fighting with him. And most of all, I can't talk to him about   
V-chan and Knight-kun. How boring."  
  
She grimaced as she spun in her chair so that she was looking out through her window. "I   
guess that good-for-nothing was helpful.... Speaking of which, I haven't heard about V-chan   
and Knight-kun's exploits lately. I wonder what they're doing now. I'm bored."  
  
Natsuna spun back toward her desk and slid open a drawer on her left and pulled out a   
remote control. 'Think I'll watch TV,' she thought with a small grin as she turned the TV   
on.  
  
"I am Kaitou Ace!" Ace announced on TV as he entered the room.  
  
"What?" Natsuna murmured to herself as her attention fixed onto the screen.  
  
"Ace!" the woman cried in relief as the TV show continued.  
  
"Princess!" Ace said as he approached the girl. "I came here for you. I handed over that   
kidnapper to the police!" He stopped in front of the girl and smiled down at her as he   
helped her to her feet. In gratitude and relief, the girl flung her arms around Ace in a   
warm hug. "I'll forever watch over you from afar," he quietly told the girl in a soft,   
soothing voice.  
  
"I had forgotten!" Natsuna exclaimed suddenly. "This excitement! The lively feeling of   
telling Wakagi about V-chan and Knight-kun! Kaitou Ace...." She grinned as she continued to   
watch the show. "Fabulous.... He's just like Sailor V or Masked Knight!"  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Hmph...," Boss said as Artemis completed the scan of the rainbow candy he had brought to   
the command center.  
  
"It's not showing any abnormal readings," Artemis reported. "Looks like normal candy, Boss.   
Rainbow candy." Ryoku had given him that piece of rainbow candy; in fact, he had suggested   
scanning the candy in the first place. Sure, he would've done it himself eventually, but   
since Ryoku had already given him a piece of rainbow candy....  
  
"It does look that way," Boss agreed. A short period of silence ensued as both of them   
pondered on his findings. "That Kaitou Ace TV show was pretty good," she said, breaking the   
silence.  
  
Artemis blinked in surprise. She saw the TV show, too? That reminded him of how Ryoku was   
starting to behave whenever someone mentioned Kaitou Ace. He would suddenly become quiet   
and his expression would turn neutral, as if he didn't want anyone to know what he was   
thinking. Artemis was sure that Ryoku didn't like Ace, but whenever he asked him, he would   
say nothing, but there was a look in his eyes that screamed of his distrust and suspicion   
of Ace.  
  
"But, if Ace exists," Artemis said, almost to himself, "he's already displaced Sailor V and   
Masked Knight from the world. He's been taking on himself all the stuff they've been doing   
before...."  
  
The monitor screen Boss used to communicate from seemed ominously silent.  
  
'No, no,' Artemis argued with himself; his gaze dropping to the floor. 'There must be a   
reason Sailor V and Masked Knight have a mission. They're being swept away by fashion.   
But.... Decide, decide! Agree, agree!' Artemis looked back up at the monitor screen.   
"Boss, don't you think it's been quiet lately?"  
  
"Hmm...," Boss said thoughtfully. "Maybe the calm before the storm.... Don't drop your   
guard."  
  
"That's what I say, too," Artemis agreed, nodding.  
  
"How're Mina and Ryoku?"  
  
"Lately, Mina's just been chasing after Ace. Since no enemies have shown up lately,   
frankly, she's been slacking off. Yesterday, she left her compact behind on her desk when   
she went to school.... She was lucky that Ryoku noticed and brought it to her. As for   
Ryoku, he's still as vigilant as ever, but ever since Mina's been chasing after Ace, he's   
been acting strangely whenever anyone mentions Ace's name around him. It's almost like   
he's... well, jealous of Mina's infatuation with Ace. Kaitou Ace...," he murmured   
thoughtfully. "Something's up...."  
  
**********************************************  
  
As usual, Minako met Ryoku after school. Ever since the first time Ryoku walked home with   
her from school, she had always looked forward to his company on the way home. He told her   
that the way to her house was on the way to his, but she didn't believe him. She had a   
feeling that her house was nowhere near his, but that made his company that much better.  
  
"Ah, like Ace says, girls are really supposed to be pretty," Minako continued, not noticing   
that Ryoku was now staring straight ahead and wasn't smiling anymore. "Ohh, I want to be   
pretty! But to be pretty, what can I actually do? Of course, I'm eating Ace brand rainbow   
candy, but...." She paused and grimaced. 'They're not having a big effect.... Maybe plastic   
surgery....'  
  
"If I told you that you were pretty," Ryoku began quietly, "would you believe me?"  
  
"Nani?" she asked as she looked at him. "What are you saying, Ryo-kun?"  
  
"Do you really think that those candies are the answer to you becoming pretty?" he asked,   
his expression showing nothing. "The way I see it, what matters is whether you and the ones   
who you care for and who care for you think you're pretty. Now, answer my question."  
  
She blinked for a moment in surprise and confusion. "Question?"  
  
"If I told you that you were pretty, would you believe me?"  
  
"You think I'm... pretty?" Minako asked, staring incredulously at Ryoku.  
  
Before Ryoku could reply, a bunch of their friends walked up to them, interrupting their   
conversation. "Mina! Ryoku! Wanna come check out the new building in front of the train   
station?"  
  
"Why?" Ryoku asked.  
  
"You'll see," one of them said as they all headed for the train station.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Fashion Building Heroin?" Minako said in a perplexed tone of voice as she read the   
building's sign.  
  
Ryoku sweatdropped in chagrin. "That's 'heroine', Minako-chan," he corrected flatly. He   
turned to the group of girls with questioning look on his face. "This's a beauty shop," he   
pointed out. "Unless you're all mistaken about my gender," he paused as a few of the girls   
giggled, "why exactly did you ask me to come as well? I mean, I'm the only guy here. Do you   
think I need a makeover or something?"  
  
"Well, the way you talk sometimes makes us wonder...," one girl said quietly as a couple of   
girls beside her giggled.  
  
"Nani yo?" he said, blinking as he pointed to himself. "Watakushi? What about the the way I   
talk?"  
  
This time all of the girls, including Minako, started laughing out loud. "Oh, no,   
Ryoku-san," one of the girls explained when they got themselves under control. "It's not   
anything like that. It's just that since we're going to make ourselves pretty, it'd help if   
we had a guy's opinion as well. Since you're best friends with Mina...."  
  
"You want my... guy's opinion, ne?" he finished for her. All of the girls nodded. He   
sighed, but nodded as well, indicating that he'd do as they asked.  
  
"Hello there!" a woman greeted as the group entered the shop. "Welcome to Fashion Building   
'Heroine.' I'm Liquid Fande, in charge of cosmetics on the first floor. Here you can become   
a beautiful heroine all by yourself. We have an abundant assortment of goods to fill your   
beauty needs. Also, you can visit our other departments for total coordination, and become   
a more beautiful heroine."  
  
"First floor: Cosmetics," Ryoku said as he read the sign. "Second floor: Wardrobe. Third   
floor: Tableware. Fourth floor: Customer Service Tour Conduct." He glanced at the sign   
again and blinked. 'Tableware???'  
  
"Which floor would you like?" the woman asked.  
  
"I want cosmetics to make my face pretty."  
  
"I want new clothes, to change my image. How about you, Mina?"  
  
Minako glanced at Ryoku for a second, then sighed. "Ohh..., I don't have the money to go   
shopping.... And Ace has two live appearances this month. To become pretty, I'd have to get   
next month's allowance...."  
  
Ryoku shook his head as he looked at Liquid Fande. "No, I'm not here for shopping, so don't   
you even suggest it." Her mouth closed quickly as she turned towards another girl.  
  
Most of the others had already went searching for cosmetic items. On the 2nd floor, another   
woman greeted the small group of girls. "Thank you for shopping here. I'm Water Fande, of   
the second floor. For our opening, we're presenting small gifts to you. Which would you   
like?"  
  
"I'll take the CD!" one girl shouted.  
  
"I'll take the video game!" another added.  
  
"Pots are just what I wanted!"  
  
"I'd like underwear. Lingerie."  
  
"From here, your desire of heroine beauty is only a step away," Water Fande said as she   
handed the gifts to the girls for them to try.  
  
"I think I'll listen to the CD. I wonder which one it is."  
  
"Yes! I beat the game! Now for the ending."  
  
"Huh? Strange steam is coming from the pot...."  
  
"Tight.... It's like this underwear is cutting into me."  
  
"Using all means, you are making efforts," Water Fande said cryptically. "There is one big   
condition to your becoming beautiful heroines. And that is... Defeat Sailor V and Masked   
Knight!"  
  
"If we defeat Sailor V, we can become beautiful...," the girls chanted in a flat monotone.   
"If we defeat Masked Knight, we'll be beautiful heroines...."  
  
Water Fande grinned wickedly. "Third floor: Powder Fande. Fourth floor: Solid Fande. I   
wonder how many heroines will be born in our game...."  
  
**********************************************  
  
Later that day, Minako came home, but only to drop off her school stuff. As soon as she   
stepped into her room, Artemis rushed up to her.  
  
"Mina!" he said chidingly. "I thought you were coming home! Where are you going?"  
  
"W-well, to the TV station, to see Ace live...," she admitted reluctantly.  
  
"Mina!! What'll you do if enemies show up?" he rebuked. "You've just been lazy lately!"  
  
"It's not like I'm going by myself!" she retorted. "Ryo-kun's coming, too. It's fine, it's   
fine. When that happens, we'll do it." She then, quickly turned and left the room so she   
wouldn't have to continue arguing.  
  
"Mina!" Artemis shouted, but she had already left.  
  
**********************************************  
  
Ryoku stared up at the banner adorning the TV station building. 'Kaitou Ace' Public   
Filming. He grimaced in disgust. If it wasn't for the fact that he didn't trust Ace one   
bit, he would never have come within ten city blocks... no, ten miles of Ace willingly. His   
distrust of Ace increased tenfold whenever Minako was involved, but she wanted to see his   
live performance. She would've gone whatever he said - the Aino Minako crush still held   
fast - so he just grinned... or rather, grimaced and bared it with silent dignity.  
  
"Hehe! We're here!" Minako said excitedly. Ryoku nodded silently; he wasn't about to dampen   
her joy with his misgivings... yet. He inwardly frowned at the stupid 'Kaitou Ace' T-shirt   
she was wearing over what had on before. They were being handed out everywhere. He had   
silently refused one for himself.  
  
Nearby, Natsuna grinned excitedly to herself as she played with the edge of the 'Kaitou   
Ace' T-shirt she was wearing. "Oh, coming to live filming at this age...," Natsuna said as   
she rose on her tiptoes, trying to look over the huge crowd in front of her, but was having   
very little luck seeing much. Minako was having the same problems.  
  
'From the bottom, I can creep up to the front!' both Minako and Natsuna thought at the same   
time. 'That's the only way!'  
  
Ryoku watched as Minako began crawling in what he assumed she thought of as a stealthy   
manner. He blinked as he noticed an older woman doing the exact same thing, only slightly   
better than Minako.   
  
'Amateurs,' he thought to himself with a little amusement as he glanced around. He knew   
where they were headed, but he just spotted a way to get there without having to resort to   
crawling. One of the security guards had left a jacket laying on a chair, unnoticed by   
anyone else. He walked over, picked it up, and slipped it on, then walked up to the front,   
all the while asking the crowd to make way for him. He easily made his way to the front,   
where he settled in to watch Minako make her own way to the front.  
  
"Uh-oh," Natsuna murmured as she spotted the security guard watching her sneak up to the   
front. "Maybe I wasn't as sneaky as I thought...."  
  
"Ryo-kun?!?" Minako exclaimed as she spotted her friend grinning at her. She grimaced as   
soon as she spotted the security guard jacket he was wearing, then grinned slyly. "So,   
that's how you made it here before me. You... borrowed... a security guard jacket and   
pretended to work for security, just to get up front."  
  
"I wanted to see the look on your faces when you saw how easy it could be to sneak up front   
compared to what you two were doing," he replied, grinning at both Minako and Natsuna as he   
removed the jacket and tossed it to Natsuna.  
  
Minako looked over at Natsuna as she caught the jacket. When she and Natsuna saw what the   
other was wearing, they each pointed at the other.  
  
"You!" Natsuna exclaimed.  
  
"Ara!" Minako exclaimed.  
  
"We're a match!" they both exclaimed simultaneously.  
  
"Yare, yare...," Ryoku muttered under his breath as he sweatdropped in chagrin.  
  
The three of them turned to watch Ace as he arrived - or rather, just Natsuna and Minako   
were watching; Ryoku merely glared. Ace waved at the group as he walked past and entered   
the TV station.  
  
"Oh, Ace was cool!" Minako said as the doors closed behind Ace.  
  
"That's it! From now on, I'm chasing after Ace!" Natsuna added.  
  
"Me too!" Minako agreed, not hearing the barely audible sigh uttered by Ryoku. "Now, after   
the appearance, they said we could see the filming, but how are we going to get in the   
studio?"  
  
"You can't come in yet!" a security guard was yelling at a group of girls trying to make   
their way into the TV station. "Babies!"  
  
'I want to get in first, for the front row,' Natsuna thought to herself as she headed for   
the door. 'I'll take my best shot!' Upon reaching the security guard, she reached into her   
pocket and pulled out a small leather case. She held it up to the guard and flipped it   
open, flashing her police badge. "Excuse me! Please let me through."  
  
"Oh!" the guard exclaimed in surprise as he moved aside. "Go ahead."  
  
"What!?" Minako shouted indignantly. "Oh no! That lady cut in front; in front of all these   
followers! I'll show her!"  
  
Ryoku grimaced. He hoped she wasn't going to do what he thought she was going to do. "Now,   
Minako-chan," he began, "it was just one woman. I think that...." He cut off as he spotted   
the compact that she had pulled out of her pocket. "Oh, no...," he groaned as Minako   
dragged him with her into a spot hidden from the crowd's view.  
  
"All right! Crescent Moon Power Transform! Turn us into hairdressers!" Instantly, two   
hairdressers were standing where Ryoku and Minako were standing before.   
  
"Hey you!" Minako shouted as they ran, past the guard, after Natsuna. "Aren't you   
Kobayashi-san from the office? The Momoko club photo shoot is this way!"  
  
"What?" Natsuna blurted in surprise as she spun around to see who was speaking to her. She   
spotted two hairdressers, one female and one male, running past. The female was waving at   
her like she wanted her to follow them. She started after them, but soon lost them. "Huh!?"   
she murmured to herself. "They're gone! Where'd they go?"  
  
"Oneesan!" a familiar voice shouted from behind. "Oneesan!"  
  
"Oh, it's you!" Natsuna said as she saw Minako and Ryoku walking up to her.  
  
"Oneesan, you're a beginner at idol chasing, right?" Minako asked with a friendly wink.   
"You can't cut in front of everyone. But, you seem nice. Let's do this together again." She   
pulled out a piece of paper and wrote on it. "Here's my number," she told her. "I'm Aino   
Minako."  
  
Natsuna smiled as she took the paper. "And him?" she asked, nodding at Ryoku. "Is he your   
boyfriend?"  
  
Minako blushed at the remark, while Ryoku laughed in chagrin. "Not really," he replied   
embarrassedly. "I'm her best friend, Kino Ryoku." He smiled as he glanced over at Minako.   
"I guess you could also say that I'm her partner."  
  
"Oh, really?" Natsuna asked. "Well, I'm Sakurada Natsuna. Actually, until now, I've been   
following Sailor V-chan and Masked Knight-kun. But don't you think they haven't done much   
lately? I wonder where they are; what they're doing."  
  
'I'm right here...,' Minako thought to herself as she frowned dispiritedly.  
  
"This fading away of theirs," she continued, "I wonder if they're washed-up?"  
  
'V-chan!!' Minako's mind screeched in a panic. 'This is a shock! Is my popularity going   
away? People aren't following others! They can't!' She glanced at Ryoku, who seemed to be   
unaffected by what Natsuna had said. 'How can he just stand there like that? Can't he see   
what's going on?'  
  
"Hey! Looks like Ace's show's starting!" Natsuna exclaimed as she pointed towards the stage.  
  
Silence fell as the lights turned toward the stage. Overhead, one of the stage lights   
suddenly snagged on its own cord and ripped itself off of the ceiling. A girl began to   
scream as the stage light fell directly towards her.  
  
"Look out!" Ryoku shouted as he leaped forward, rushing towards the girl.  
  
"Minako-chan?" Natsuna called out as she noticed that the girl had disappeared. She turned   
her gaze back toward Ryoku, who was trying his best to make it to the girl in time.   
Unfortunately, he wasn't going fast enough. He wasn't going to make it in time.  
  
By now, Minako had already transformed into Sailor V. 'This calls for an idol soldier! I'll   
remove my disgrace and regain my honor!! This is my chance!!' Sailor V rushed past Ryoku,   
scooped up the girl, and carried her safely away as the light crashed into the floor.  
  
Ryoku slowed to a stop and grinned. 'Sailor V to the rescue,' he thought proudly.  
  
"Sailor V!" the girl exclaimed in shock.  
  
"You okay?" Sailor V asked.  
  
"It's Sailor V!" one man shouted.  
  
"It's been a while," another added.  
  
"Say, where's Masked Knight?" a third said.  
  
"Hey!" the girl shouted as Sailor V put her down. "Don't interrupt, Sailor V! I'm supposed   
to be saved by Kaitou Ace! I don't want you!"  
  
Ryoku winced. 'Boy, talk about gratitude....'  
  
"Hey, Sailor V!" the director shouted as he ran up to her. "Get out, get out! I'm trying to   
do a shoot here!"  
  
"Wait! Sailor V!" Ace shouted suddenly.  
  
Sailor V's head whipped towards Ace. "Kaitou Ace?"  
  
"Even if your popularity is gone, don't worry! You have life!" he told her.  
  
"Haha," Sailor V muttered. "Thanks, Ace."  
  
Ryoku was barely able to keep himself from marching himself right over to where Kaitou Ace   
was standing and start beating him senseless. Not only was he insulting his partner, but   
his best friend, as well. Now, he really didn't like him.  
  
"The depressed Sailor V with waning popularity being consoled by Ace," the director   
murmured to himself as he watched them. "Now that's good television!"  
  
Ryoku was about to go up and tell the director exactly where he could shove his good   
television, when a crowd a girls suddenly started to force themselves toward the front.  
  
"Sailor V!" they chanted in a flat voice. "Sailor V! To become beautiful heroines, we must   
defeat Sailor V!"  
  
Powder Fande watched the scene from a distance and smirked. "Seems Sailor V's appeared,"   
she said into a communications device. "Solid! Liquid! Water Fande! Head for the TV   
station!"  
  
"Mina! What's wrong!" Artemis said as he ran up to her. "You transformed at the TV   
station?" He glanced around. "Where's Masked Knight?"  
  
"Artemis...," she sighed sadly. "The Sailor V and Masked Knight boom has passed.... This is   
the time of Kaitou Ace.... I've lost my self-confidence. I don't think that I can make it   
as V."  
  
"What?!?" Artemis exclaimed in shock.  
  
"What?!?" Ryoku exclaimed as he walked up to them. "I can't believe that, Sailor V! You'd   
just quit being a soldier of justice? What about your partner, Masked Knight? He wouldn't   
want you to quit on him. He needs you!"  
  
"And what about everyone else?" Sailor V spat as she flung an arm towards the girl she   
'rescued'. "For all that, Kaitou Ace!" She closed her eyes and sighed. "Seeing him so   
close... it was great. He held my hand. It's good to be Sailor V...." She sighed heavily.   
"Oh, Ryo-kun, what should I do...?"  
  
In her mind, a vision of a scale with Minako at one end and Sailor V at the other formed.   
'I'd be an ordinary, cute girl,' Minako said. 'I could simply follow Ace. I'd have a life.'  
  
'I'm an idol soldier,' Sailor V said. 'I might be able to get close to Ace. But V-chan's   
washed-up....'  
  
The scale began to tip toward the Minako side.  
  
"I've decided!" Sailor V declared. "I'll leave the job of idol soldier to Ace. Mina will   
return to an ordinary girl!"  
  
"Mina!?" Artemis exclaimed.  
  
"Never mind, Artemis! Ace can have this job!"  
  
"Minako-chan?" Ryoku said questioningly.  
  
"Oh, Ryo-kun," Sailor V said as she hugged her friend. "I know the main reason you wanted   
to become Masked Knight was because you wanted to help me. But now that I'm not going to be   
Sailor V anymore, you won't have to risk your life as Masked Knight anymore! We can both   
live as normal teenagers again!"  
  
"Mina!" Artemis shouted again.  
  
Ryoku frowned dubiously. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked quietly.  
  
She nodded quickly. "Well, since I've decided, I'll hurry and undo my transformation. I   
have to get back to Ace!"  
  
As Sailor V headed towards a vending machine, Natsuna walked up to where Ryoku was   
standing. "Ryoku-san, have you seen where Minako-chan went?" she asked.  
  
"Where is Sailor V!?" Powder Fande exclaimed as the other Fandes joined her.  
  
"I'm going to the bathroom...," Ace said as he glanced around, looking for a restroom.  
  
All three gasped as they spotted Sailor V ducking behind the vending machine... and Aino   
Minako stepping out from the other end.  
  
"Minako-chan!?" Natsuna gasped incredulously. "It can't be.... Minako-chan is... Sailor   
V?!? No way! I can't believe I saw that!"  
  
"Chikuso...," Ryoku growled to himself. "Now she's done it."  
  
Natsuna then turned her gaze toward Ryoku with a look of realization. "You...," she   
whispered. "If Minako-chan is Sailor V, then Ryoku-san must be...."  
  
"Hai," Ryoku nodded reluctantly with a sigh. "Masked Knight."  
  
"...," was all Ace could say.  
  
"Wait!" all four Fandes shouted. "Sailor V! You won't escape!"  
  
"Shimatta!" Minako muttered irritably. Her secret identity was no longer a secret and   
seeing how Natsuna was staring at Ryoku, his identity must've been blown, too.  
  
"Mina! Ryo-kun!" Artemis shouted as he ran towards them.  
  
"Mina! Ryoku!" Boss' voice yelled from Minako's pen.  
  
"I know, Artemis, Boss!" Minako said as she glanced towards Ryoku. He looked back at her   
with determination in his steady grey eyes. "We have no choice. Moon Power Transform!"  
  
Ryoku's Star Sword appeared as he brought out his own transformation item. "Star Sword   
Power Transform!"  
  
"You're making sport of girls' desires to be pretty and fan mentality, which they've held   
for 4 million years since the dawn of man. I can't ignore this!" Sailor V stated.  
  
"You're deluding young girls into believing that they aren't pretty enough, when all   
that truly matters is how they themselves feel. I won't condone this!" Masked Knight   
announced.  
  
"Codename: Sailor V! The soldier of justice, the ally of girls. I am the sailor-suited   
beautiful soldier, Sailor Venus!"  
  
"Codename: Masked Knight! The soldier of justice, the friend of girls. I am the   
sailor-suited handsome soldier, Sailor Knight!"  
  
"Mina! You're doing it!" Artemis said encouragingly.  
  
"Sailor V! Masked Knight!" Natsuna cheered. "Minako-chan! Ryoku-san!"  
  
"How sweet, Sailor V and Masked Knight!" the Fandes sneered. "To be heroines, girls will do   
anything. We're doing our job!"  
  
"To become pretty, we'll wipe out Sailor V and Masked Knight!" the crowd of girls droned.   
"Wipe out Sailor V and Masked Knight!"  
  
"There's no way you can overcome our Heroine Maker system!" the Fandes declared. "Girls   
have limits!"  
  
"But I am an incarnation of the goddess of beauty!" Sailor V retorted.  
  
"And she doesn't need to be any prettier than she is now!" Masked Knight shouted.   
  
"The coup de grâce!" Sailor V yelled. "Crescent Beam!"  
  
"Earth Thrust!"  
  
Masked Knight's attack quickly sailed past Water Fande, but Sailor V's attack never   
materialized.  
  
"Huh? My compact didn't work?!? No way!" she gasped as she opened the compact. "What? The   
mirror is becoming black!"  
  
"Oh no! Is the battery cut?" Artemis asked.  
  
"That thing uses batteries?!?" Masked Knight asked questioningly.  
  
"Wait!" Sailor V exclaimed, suddenly remembering something. "I haven't been charging it at   
all! I'm in a pinch! It's too late!"  
  
Masked Knight facefaulted. "Nan... nan da?!?" His eyes narrowed as he turned towards the   
four Fandes. "Then, I'll have to take them on." He held his Star Sword out in front of him   
and prepared to rush their attackers.  
  
"Are you sure about this?" Sailor V asked worriedly.  
  
"No other choice," he replied over his shoulder. "Iku zo!"  
  
Masked Knight dashed forward, his Star Sword raised to deliver the first attack as the four   
Fande stood waiting. Before he could reach them, a voice suddenly shouted, "Delicious   
Four-Card Shot!" Four aces flew through the air, cutting through the bodies of the four   
Fande and embedded themselves into the floor behind them.  
  
Instantly, the crowd of girls snapped out of their trance. "Huh? We...!? What on earth...?"  
  
Masked Knight picked up one of the cards and tossed it to Sailor V. "They're all the same,"   
he said in a flat voice.  
  
"This is... the ace of hearts!?" Sailor V exclaimed. "This card...." Out of the corner of   
her eye, she caught a glimpse of movement. "Who's that? It can't be.... It can't be...."  
  
"It is," Masked Knight muttered grumpily.  
  
"Ace...?!?" she called out. "Kaitou Ace!?"  
  
As soon as she called out to him, he turned and bolted off.  
  
"Ace!!" she cried out, hoping that he would at least let her thank him.  
  
'Good ridance!' Masked Knight thought as he nodded in satisfaction.  
  
"Kaitou Ace...," Sailor V wondered aloud. "Who on earth.... Who is he!?" She turned to her   
partner with a confused expression on her face. "Who is he, Knight?"  
  
"That is a question I also wish I had an answer to, Venus," he replied thoughtfully as he   
glanced toward the direction Ace had run off in.  
  
"Sailor V! Masked Knight!" Natsuna cheered happily. "Minako-chan! Ryoku-san!"  
  
**********************************************  
  
At the office of the Dark Agency, Danburite sat with his hands folded thoughtfully.  
  
"Sailor V. Masked Knight. You've shown all you can do. At last, it's my turn."  
  
A small smile curved his lips for a brief second, then vanished into the darkness.  
  
**********************************************  
  
Back at her house, Minako happily pointed towards the TV as she was being shown with Ace.   
"Artemis! Look! Look! V-chan is on TV with Ace!" she giggled excitedly. "I'm so happy! I   
can't quit being an idol soldier now."   
  
Artemis merely looked at Minako and sweatdropped. "...."  
  
She sighed to herself as a thought popped into her head. "Too bad Knight-kun couldn't make   
it into the scene, though...."  
  
"I'm sure that he didn't mind at all," Artemis replied blandly.  
  
**********************************************  
  
Disclaimer: All original materials belong to their respective owners. Sailor Moon belongs   
to Naoko Takeuchi and a bunch of big companies. No copyright infringement is intended. This   
story belongs me, so I would appreciate it very much if you would ask for permission before   
posting it anywhere else. Thank you.  
  
The Question and all stories included are:  
Copyright © July 6, 2001 Jason C. Ulloa.   
Manga translation by Alex Glover © 1996  
All Rights Reserved. 


	10. Chapter 9

Alone No More: Minako's Story  
by Jason C. Ulloa  
  
  
Chapter 9  
  
"So," Artemis asked as he sat on top of the kitchen counter in Ryoku's apartment, "how's   
your sister doing?"  
  
"She's still complaining about being stuck at that boarding school while I'm going to a   
public school," Ryoku replied as he turned his head from what he was doing. "It was great   
visiting her for a while, though."  
  
"I bet you missed her," he said as he tried to see what Ryoku was cooking. The smell was   
appetizing and he was getting hungry. Ryoku grinned at him over his shoulder as if he knew   
that, but he didn't move as he turned back to his food preparation.  
  
"Hai, I did miss Mako-chan very much," he replied wistfully. "She is the very last   
remaining member of my family, Artemis. If it wasn't for her, the loss of my parents would   
be unbearable. I'm sure she feels the same way." He turned from the food to look at the   
white cat. "It sure was good to see her again, even if it was for a little while."  
  
"Well, I suppose that sometimes soldiers of justice must take time out of their fight to   
spend with their loved ones," Artemis said with a small grin.  
  
"You make it sound like I was on vacation," he replied wryly.  
  
"According to the school calendars, you were," Artemis replied with a smirk.  
  
"Hmph...," Ryoku snorted as he turned back to his cooking. "Perhaps I shouldn't offer you   
any of this delicious food if all you're going to do is mock me."  
  
"Anou...," the white cat said penitently as he sweatdropped. "There's no need to do that.   
Gomen nasai, Ryoku-sama!" he said as he bowed his head.  
  
Ryoku's eyebrow twitched in amusement. "No need to go overboard, neko-san," he replied in a   
dry, yet amused tone of voice. "Just inform me of anything I've missed since I've been   
gone."  
  
"Mina's had to fight three sibling enemies by herself, one by one," Artemis began. "First,   
was Nyan-Nyan. She used cute kittens to steal everyone's energy. Mina almost traded me in   
for a new cat because of her!"  
  
"Like an old car, almost traded in for a new model," Ryoku said jokingly.  
  
"Hmph!" Artemis fumed. "I suppose you'd find that funny. Anyway, after defeating Nyan-Nyan,   
her brother Wan-Wan went after Sailor V. This time, the enemy used cute dogs. He even   
fooled me into believing that he was a cute female dog named Luna-chan!" He sighed   
reminiscently at that name.  
  
"I think I remember Minako-chan saying something about working with a manga artist,   
Marie-sensei, I believe she said her name was?"  
  
"Hai, a shoujo manga artist," Artemis agreed as he grinned in amusement.  
  
"Something funny, Artemis?"  
  
"I just remembered how Sailor V dispatched of Wan-Wan," he replied with a chuckle. "She   
said something about sentencing him to seppuku, then ran him through with a katana   
strikingly similar to your Star Sword. The funny thing is that, when I told her that   
seppuku is cutting one's own stomach, she cried that she didn't want to cut her own   
stomach. She also said that since you're the expert on swords, you should've told her about   
that."  
  
Ryoku gave a brief snort of amusement, then shrugged. "I guess I should've been there," he   
replied as he turned back to the food again. "What about the third enemy?"  
  
"Chuu-chuu," Artemis continued. "A mosquito woman taking energy out of the blood of blood   
donors. By the way, Mina volunteered to donate blood."  
  
"You're kidding?!?" Ryoku exclaimed as he turned to stare at Artemis. "I thought you had to   
be 16 to donate blood...."  
  
"She lied about her age. She just wanted the free orange juice. And when she found out that   
the hospital paid for blood donations...," Artemis trailed off, not needing to elaborate.   
"Sometimes I wish she was more like Hikaru-chan. She's the vice-president of a volunteer   
organization!"  
  
"You don't say?" Ryoku said, raising an eyebrow in surprise. "I never knew that about   
Hikaru-chan." He turned off the stove and moved the pan onto the counter and covered it.  
  
"Can't I see what you've made for dinner?" Artemis asked pleadingly. "Please?"  
  
A playful grin crossed Ryoku's face. "You'll have to wait... unless you don't mind a burned   
tongue and singed whiskers. I understand that cat tongues are very sensitive to temperature   
as well...."  
  
Artemis sighed hungrily. "I'll wait."  
  
"I think you'll like it," Ryoku continued. "I got this recipe from Mako-chan. She's a much   
better cook than I am, though." He paused for a moment. "Any new sightings of... 'him'?"  
  
The white cat turned to glance at Ryoku at hearing the change in the tone of his voice at   
even the hint of mentioning Kaitou Ace's name. He knew that he really didn't like Ace - no,   
he practically hated Ace - but for Minako's sake, he never said anything.  
  
"Ryo-kun," Artemis said carefully, "why do you... dislike... uh, 'him'... so much?"  
  
His eyes narrowed slightly, but his expression barely changed. "It's nothing I can put my   
finger on," he said in a voice tight with surpressed anger, "but I just don't trust that...   
that.... Che!" he growled, throwing his arms up in frustration. "You know what I'm trying   
to say. What's worse is that Minako-chan likes him and even though I want to tell her how   
wrong he is for her...."  
  
"You have no proof," Artemis finished.  
  
"Exactly." He sighed as he turned to stare at the kitchen wall. "My hands are tied." He   
shrugged as he turned back towards the white cat and made an attempt at smiling. "Well, no   
use worrying over something I can't do much about right now," he said in a false cheery   
voice. "Why don't you join me for dinner, Artemis? I've made some shrimp tempura, fried   
with a moderate variety of vegetables. Care for some?" he asked as he lifted the lid.  
  
"Don't mind if I do," Artemis replied as Ryoku served him a plate. "I'll take your cooking   
over Mina's any day."  
  
"Not that good, ne?" Ryoku asked as he served himself.  
  
"Mmrphf...."  
  
**********************************************  
  
The next day at school, Minako glanced at a poster hanging on the wall: The 35th Shiba Park   
Half Marathon Competition. "All right!" she said, grinning at Ryoku. "Class can wait for   
the marathon competition!"  
  
"My senpai says he'll get in the top 20," a boy said.  
  
"Wow, a marathon...," a girl added. "Maybe I'll ditch school for it."  
  
Ryoku turned to see where Minako was now looking. By the window, there was a boy staring   
out, gazing into the far away distance. "He does that whenever the subject turns to   
sports," she told Ryoku when she saw him looking in the same direction. "I call him the   
school's unknown idol."  
  
"The unknown idol?" he repeated questioningly.  
  
"Hai," she said with a nod. "He's a quarter Russian named Otonaru Maiku."  
  
"That's strange," another boy said. "Otonaru is here today. How many days has it been since   
he's come?"  
  
"Anyway, I bet he's not entering the marathon," yet another boy mentioned. "Since   
elementary school, he hasn't done any physical activities at all."  
  
"Is Otonaru-kun's body that weak?" a girl asked as she glanced toward the boy in question.   
Otonaru was now exiting the building Minako and Ryoku had spotted him in earlier. "He's so   
pale...."  
  
"Doesn't he act sick to get out of exercise?" the first boy asked.  
  
"You know what his nickname was in elementary?" the other replied. "Since he's thinner and   
weaker than a bean sprout.... Toothpick!"  
  
Ryoku frowned. "Now that's not very fair...."  
  
"Hey, Toothpick!" the boy said as he walked over and shoved Otonaru from behind.  
  
"Cut it out!" Minako yelled fiercely.  
  
"What do you want, Aino?" the boy asked rudely as he turned to face Minako... and looked   
upward to see Ryoku fiercely glaring down at him. The boy reflexively took a step back from   
him as he shied away from him.  
  
"Thank you, Ryo-kun," Minako said as she slapped him jovially on the shoulder. "You know,   
those gray eyes of yours are really effective when it comes to staring guys down. They   
almost seem to flash when you're angry."  
  
Ryoku smirked mischeviously. "If you say so, Minako-chan," he replied with a diffident   
shrug.  
  
'Yes!' Minako thought as she glanced over to Otonaru as he was getting up from being   
shoved. 'A day when Otonaru-kun comes to school is very precious! I won't waste this   
valuable chance. And this, at last, the season I've been waiting for! The autumn of love!   
I'm going to get close to Otonaru-kun!'  
  
Ryoku noticed the gleam in Minako's eyes and sighed. 'The Aino Minako crush strikes   
again...,' he thought in exasperation. 'There is a good side to this, though. At least   
she's forgotten about... 'him'... for now.'  
  
"Hey, Otonaru-kun!" Minako said. "Our class has decided to practice together for the   
marathon competition. Why don't you practice a little bit too, and enter the marathon?"  
  
He stared at her silently for a moment, then turned and walked away. "You're an intrusive   
girl, Aino," he said quietly as he left.  
  
"Quite the verbose individual," Ryoku remarked sarcastically as Minako grimaced.  
  
"That Otonaru-kun has a bad personality!" a girl remarked.  
  
"It's no use," the first boy said. "He doesn't have the will to do anything. Leave him   
alone."   
  
'But this was finally my chance to get to know him!' Minako thought despondently.  
  
Ryoku merely sighed as he shook his head. 'Poor Minako-chan....'  
  
**********************************************  
  
The next morning, Minako entered the classroom and noticed a familiar face was also there.  
  
"Oh! Otonaru-kun's here today too! Lucky!" Minako said aside to Ryoku. "He's not as   
delicate as those boys say he is. But he doesn't seem to get along with anyone in class."  
  
Ryoku shrugged. "Maybe he just prefers to be alone," he suggested.  
  
Later, Minako changed into her gym suit in the locker room, then ran out into the hallway,   
headed for gym class. On her way, she crashed into Otonaru, knocking both of them down.  
  
"Sorry! I'm so clumsy...," she apologized as she got up. "Otonaru-kun! Sorry!" She bent   
down to help him up and noticed a book lying next to him:  
  
Road to the Olympics - Surmounting the Challenge of Escaping your Heart  
  
As soon as he noticed Minako's gaze turned toward his book, he quickly grabbed it away.  
  
"Otonaru-kun, do you like the Olympics?" Minako asked. "Hey, just reading books is boring!   
You should get out and do it! Why don't you show up to practice with us for the marathon?   
Even if it's just to take a look, how about it? Okay?"  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Hey, it's Otonaru-kun!" one guy noticed as Otonaru and Minako joined the others on the   
field.  
  
'Hmm...,' Ryoku thought to himself, as he grinned slightly. 'Looks like Minako-chan finally   
got to Otonaru-kun.'  
  
"Aino brought him to practice?" another boy added. "Wow!"  
  
"All right, one quick lap around the school!" the gym teacher shouted. The students   
immediately started running.  
  
"Hey," one of the boys noted as he looked back at Otonaru. "Looks like we're losing him."  
  
Ryoku started to slow down until he was alongside him. Otonaru gasped for breath as all the   
boys sped ahead of him. "Otonaru-kun, daijoubu desu ka?" he asked concernedly.  
  
"Hey now!" one of the girls complained, also lagging behind. "Boys, your pace is too   
strenuous!"  
  
"Oh, is it?" Minako asked as she kept up with the boys.  
  
"Oi! Quit showing off, Minako-chan!" Ryoku called out as he tried to encourage Otonaru on.  
  
"I can't follow!" the girl said. "I can't take it!"  
  
"Speaking of which," said another girl, "where's Otonaru-kun?"  
  
"He's not here!"  
  
They looked back to see him collapsed on the ground. Ryoku was busy trying to revive him.  
  
"Otonaru-kun!?" Minako called out worriedly.  
  
"Ah, he overexerted himself," a boy explained. "He's had a weak heart from birth."   
  
'What!?' Minako thought in shock.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Don't worry about it," Artemis told her later after she had come home. "It's not your   
fault, Mina."  
  
"I know...," she said in a depressed tone of voice.  
  
"He'll come to school again tomorrow," Ryoku added consolingly.  
  
"Yeah...," Minako replied sullenly. "But he might not listen to me anymore. He might hate   
me."  
  
"Mina...," Artemis said quietly.  
  
"Listen, Mina," Ryoku said softly, "you shouldn't think that. I mean, you were just trying   
to encourage him. It's not like you were forcing him. If it'll make you feel any better, we   
could go and visit him," he suggested. "See how he's doing?"  
  
**********************************************  
  
"666-999 Roppongi 7-chome...," Minako said, reading the address. "This is it."  
  
"Hai," Ryoku agreed, nodding.  
  
They stood before a karaoke hall in the bright city at night. "Wow!" Minako said in awe.   
"This is the biggest karaoke place in Roppongi! So, this is where Otonaru-kun lives?"  
  
"This's it," Ryoku agreed. "He told me how to get here after I helped bring him from the   
hospital." He lead Minako up the stairs in the back of the room to the second floor and   
knocked on the door.  
  
"It's open!" a voice called from inside. Minako opened the door as she and Ryoku entered.  
  
"Aino!?" Otonaru exclaimed as he sat up in bed. "And Kino-san. What brings you here?"  
  
Minako held out a rose. "Otonaru-kun, I'm sorry!" she said penitently. "I didn't know you   
were sick. I did a horrible thing! I'm really sorry. I hope you get well soon."  
  
"Don't worry about it," Otonaru replied. "I know you didn't mean anything by it."  
  
She heard music blaring and a voice singing downstairs. "That's loud!" she commented. "How   
can you sleep with such noise coming from the karaoke place downstairs?"  
  
"And some of it so horribly off-key, too," Ryoku added, wincing from a sour note.  
  
"It's fine," Otonaru replied. "I love hearing everybody singing out loud. It makes me feel   
alive. I really have to be in a hospital, but I stay home because I want to hear this.   
Thank you again for helping my mother bring me home, Kino-san," he said to Ryoku.  
  
Ryoku waved a silent dismissal to his thanks and grinned.  
  
"Aino," he continued, "you made such an effort to meddle in my life. I'm sorry, but I can't   
enter the marathon. My next heart operation is the day of the marathon."  
  
"I... I see...," Minako said disappointedly. As she glanced downward, she noticed a stone   
on the floor next to the book on the Olympics. She picked it up to take a closer look at it.   
  
"What kind of stone is this?" she asked curiously. "It's weird. There's a white line in it."  
  
"Really?" Ryoku asked as he moved to see the stone as well. "Hmm...."  
  
"A Hachimaki stone," Otonaru explained. "It's an old Russian legend. If you have a   
Hachimaki stone, you can take first place in any sporting event."  
  
"Interesting," Ryoku commented, raising an eyebrow appreciatively.  
  
"That stone's for you, Aino," Otonaru continued.  
  
"What?" she exclaimed in surprise.  
  
"But, even if you didn't have that charm, you'd surpass the boys and easily come in first,"   
he added with a grin.  
  
"Most of them, at least," Ryoku remarked as he glanced teasingly at Minako.  
  
She stuck her tongue out at him, then glanced down at the stone again. 'A charm from   
Otonaru-kun?' Minako thought as she smiled. "All right!" she said as she looked back up.   
"This year, for Otonaru Maiku, Minako-sama will bring back first place! And then next year,   
we will compete to see who will ultimately come in first!"  
  
She then looked pointedly at Ryoku. "And you'll stay out of it, ne?"  
  
Ryoku shrugged innocently. "I never said I was competing, did I?" he replied. "It's your   
Hachimaki stone."  
  
"There's no way I can beat you," Otonaru admitted. "Until now, I haven't once participated   
in a school event. I only rested, I had a dark personality, and I had no friends. You're   
the first one I've ever talked to like this, Aino. You and your friend, Kino-san, were the   
first ones to treat me so nicely, dispite my dark personality."  
  
'Yes, all right!' thinks Minako. 'Go! Go! Mi-na! Push forward for love!'  
  
Ryoku sighed as he glanced at Minako. 'Oh boy, the Aino Minako crush is going full force,   
now. Nothing to do but step aside and let her through.'  
  
"I got it!" Otonaru said suddenly as a grin spread across his face. "Since you both came   
all the way to my place, sing one song!" He pulled a curtain away beside his bed, revealing   
a set of monitors and a microphone.  
  
"Oh, I don't know...," Ryoku began, but was yanked over toward the karaoke machine by an   
enthusiastic Minako.  
  
"Aw, come on, Ryo-kun!" she entreated as she handed him a mike. "Onegai? For Otonaru-kun?"  
  
"Hai, hai...," he agreed reluctantly with a sigh. Minako took a mike of her own and started   
to sing a duet with Ryoku. As soon as the song ended, Otonaru applauded.  
  
"Ryo-kun," Minako said with some surprise, "did anyone ever tell you that you have a voice   
like an idol? You sing so well!"  
  
Ryoku grimaced at the mention of the word 'idol', but grinned anyway as he shrugged. "I've   
always been musically inclined, Minako-chan," he told her. "Though I prefer playing musical   
instruments to singing, I occasionally like to sing a song or two."  
  
"Really?" Minako asked, amazed at learning a new side to her best friend and partner.  
  
"Hey, now I'll do one," Otonaru said as Ryoku handed him his mike. He began to sing a song   
on the karaoke machine as Ryoku and Minako listened.  
  
"That kid has a mike inside him," Otonaru's mom said as she listened by the door. "The   
doctor said he might recover from his illness, too, depending on his own feelings."  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Artemis!" Minako said as soon as she came home. "Let's go to the karaoke box again today!"   
She brought Artemis over to Otonaru's place, and started singing again.  
  
"What's with you?" Artemis aside to Minako. "Suddenly you're coming here all the time."  
  
"It's to further step up my relationship with Otonaru-kun," Minako replied. "I'll sing a   
hundred songs! All right! Next, I call on the familiar idol!" She started to sing another   
song.  
  
"Ah...," she sighed as the song ended. "Skipping the marathon practice and coming here   
every day.... How touching. Feel the throbbing of my heart, Artemis! Otonaru-kun.... Could   
this be my first love?"  
  
"Your 2981st," Artemis muttered sarcastically to himself. "But, I guess Mina is the kind of   
person who won't let go of the mike once she gets a hold of it."  
  
**********************************************  
  
Crows suddenly took to wing in the slowly brightening, morning sky of Roppongi. A light   
mist slowly rose from the ground, taking the shape of a woman.  
  
"Ah, this passion, brimming with power even in the morning!" she said, feeling the air.   
"Among the energy of humans, this enthusiasm fills these abnormal concerts. This energy is   
surely the same thing! This sound! This tension! This spirit! This is the stage I have   
searched for! I will have the energy of humans gathered here!"  
  
**********************************************  
  
"My body's feeling good now," Otonaru remarked as he stretched upon getting out of bed.   
"Maybe it's because every time Aino brings me notes from class, or when she visits with   
Kino-san, we train together with karaoke. If I'm this well, maybe I can put off the   
operation for a little bit and be able to enter the marathon!  
  
"Well, to raise my spirits, I'll sing in the shop," he said as he went downstairs, and   
grabbed an ornate microphone from where the microphones were usually kept. "All right! A   
song for the lively one!" he began, when he suddenly realized that the mike he picked up   
was different from the usual ones that were usually kept there. "Huh? When did we get this   
mike?" He shrugged as he dismissed the difference in mikes and started to sing.  
  
As he sang, the microphone started to drain his energy. Drained of his energy, he collapsed   
onto the floor. "Oh no!" his mother gasped as she quickly dashed for the nearest phone and   
called the nearest hospital for an ambulance for her son.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"What!?" Minako exclaimed in shock. "Otonaru-kun collapsed!? He's in the hospital!?"  
  
"What happened?" Ryoku asked.  
  
"He lost his strength all of a sudden!" Otonaru's mom told them. "Now I don't even know if   
he'll be able to go through his operation.... He's in bad shape!"  
  
"Oh no...!" Minako gasped fearfully. "Come on, Ryo-kun! There's something we've gotta do   
for Otonaru-kun!" she told him as she grabbed his arm and pulled him after her.  
  
**********************************************  
  
Hikaru glanced out the classroom window and saw both Minako and Ryoku crawling around the   
school yard, apparently searching for something.  
  
"What are you doing, Mina? Ryo-kun?" she asked. "Looking for something?"   
  
"A Hachimaki stone!" Minako replied, not looking up from her search.  
  
"A what?" Hikaru asked, confused.  
  
"We're looking for a Hachimaki stone!" she repeated. "Hurry up, Ryo-kun! Haven't you found   
one yet?!?"  
  
Ryoku merely sighed to himself, wondering what Minako did with the one Otonaru gave her.  
  
**********************************************  
  
As Minako and Ryoku went to see Otonaru in the hospital, she held out three stones to him.   
The results of at least an hour of combing the school yard.  
  
"Here, Otonaru-kun!" she said hopefully.  
  
Otonaru looked up from his hospital bed. "Aino...! Kino-san...!"  
  
"We found three at school," she told him, placing the stones in his hand. "A charm for your   
operation to succeed."  
  
"It's all right," Otonaru told her in a defeated tone of voice as he placed the stones on   
the table beside his bed. "I know. I was born with this problem, and there's no way my   
heart will completely recover. I've given up. Humans all die someday anyway. The only   
difference is whether it's early or late."  
  
Ryoku's eyes widened at that statement of defeat, while Minako suddenly grew upset.  
  
"You're not even trying!" Minako shouted. "Why say such a thing? Being a human takes effort   
and guts. 'Giving up' are the words I hate the most!" With that, she ran from the room,   
leaving Otonaru and Ryoku behind.  
  
"Aino!!" Otonaru shouted after her, but she was already gone.  
  
"You hurt her, you know," Ryoku said quietly. "She had faith in you, in your ability to   
persevere dispite your disabilities." He picked up the stones that Otonaru had put on the   
table and placed them in Otonaru's hand. "Don't throw away her faith in you, Otonaru-kun."   
He turned and left as well, looking for his friend.  
  
"Kino-san...," he murmured as he glanced down at the stones in his hand. "Gomen nasai,   
Aino...."  
  
**********************************************  
  
Back in class the next day, Minako was lamenting on what she said to Otonaru. "Ryo-kun,   
Artemis, I said a horrible thing," she said sadly. "Otonaru-kun has been persevering all by   
himself for so long...."  
  
"Mina...," Artemis began, but was silenced by Ryoku putting a hand on his back and shaking   
his head at him.  
  
"But! I am not going to give up!" she continued determinedly as she went to stand before   
the class. "Everyone, please! Go to Otonaru-kun's karaoke place with me!"  
  
"See?" Ryoku said to Artemis with a small grin. "The Aino Minako crush persevered."  
  
Artemis nodded back at Ryoku and grinned. "I should've figured that."  
  
Some time later, the whole class arrived at Otonaru's place. As they went inside, they   
gazed in surprise at the fact that his house doubled as a place for karaoke.  
  
"Wow, Otonaru-kun's house is a karaoke place?"   
  
"Hey, Mina, why will Otonaru-kun get well if we all sing?"   
  
'Maiku has spent a long time being hospitalized,' Otonaru's mom told her and Ryoku   
yesterday. 'Since he hates hospitals, he'll be recuperating at home again starting   
tomorrow.'  
  
'It makes me feel alive,' Otonaru said.  
  
"If we all sing together," Minako told them, "our spirit will pass to Otonaru-kun! Then, he   
should regain his will to live! Now, everyone! There are lots of mikes!" She grabbed a   
bunch of the ornate microphones and started to pass them out. "They're kind of strange, but   
go for it! Fill them with song!"  
  
As they started singing, the microphones begin to drain their energy, causing them to   
collapse. "Uhh...," Minako moaned dizzily as she fell to the floor. "The world is   
moving.... It's moving...."  
  
Ryoku quickly snapped out of his trance and rushed over to Minako. He quickly shook her out   
of her trance. As she regained her senses, she jumped up in shock.  
  
"Oh no! Everyone!? Wake up! What happened!?" Her gaze turned to the microphone she dropped   
and picked it up. "This mike?"  
  
"They must've caused this," Ryoku reasoned. "Everyone had one."  
  
"Ehehe!" a woman laughed as she entered the room. "Today's a full house, too. I've spread   
these through all the karaoke boxes in Roppongi. These dark mikes suck out all this energy.   
I'm so happy!"  
  
"It's your fault," a voice behind her sang.  
  
"Huh!?"  
  
"Shining with neon, the dance of love," Minako sang into the microphone. "Recording with   
this mike, the song of life. Changing the beautiful petals of people singing the dreams of   
their youth into flowers of evil! This is rotten heresy! The blood of enka boils!"  
  
"Minako-chan," Ryoku whispered, trying not to be heard by the mike, "Enka is a modern   
Japanese ballad. Song genres don't have blood."  
  
"Bakayarou!" she muttered back at Ryoku while a big sweatdrop slid down the side of her   
forehead. "Keep quiet. You're just the back-up singer for today. Don't ruin my song!"  
  
"But, you're just improvising...."  
  
The woman facefaulted. "Anou.... Are they singers or a comedy act?" she muttered to   
herself. "Hold on, wait a sec! Traveling singers are prohibited here!"  
  
"Moon Power Transform!"  
  
"Star Sword Power Transform!"  
  
Seconds later, Sailor V and Masked Knight appeared in place of Minako and Ryoku. "Once I   
was a lonely runner in a marathon race!" Sailor V stated. "Once I was a loving singer! But   
my true self is... Codename: Sailor V! The robed angel of the karaoke box! For love and   
justice, I am the sailor-suited beautiful soldier, Sailor Venus!"  
  
Masked Knight looked as though he was about to say something, but then reconsidered. "Ah,   
forget it," he muttered irritably. "Codename: Masked Knight!" Once again, the slight   
hesitation, followed by a shrug. "For honor and justice, I am the sailor-suited handsome   
soldier, Sailor Knight! In the name of the Copyright Law of 1899, we will punish you!"  
  
Sailor V glared at Masked Knight as she closed her mouth. "I was gonna say that, Knight!"   
she told him.  
  
"Ehehe, gomen, Venus," he apologized. "I couldn't help it. You usually get the better   
lines, anyway."  
  
Once again, the woman sweatdropped. "Yare, yare.... At any rate, I am the karaoke soldier,   
Mike Makki! So you showed. V, the famous rival of my spirit, and her partner, Masked   
Knight! How dare you two confront me when I've only conquered one karaoke box! Now all of   
Roppongi's mikes are in my hands! I'll raise you to the stage of victimization! Ah, voices   
flowing! Great song, great dance!" As she sang, the sound waves attacked both Sailor V and   
Masked Knight.  
  
"Che! She can't carry a tune in a bucket!" Masked Knight groaned as he tried to block out   
the noise by covering his ears.  
  
"Mike Makki, I give up...," Sailor V moaned.  
  
"Don't give up, Venus!" Artemis shouted, wincing from the terrible noise. "She's winning   
with her loud voice!"  
  
"And horrible singing!" Masked Knight added.  
  
"Hey!" Mike Makki retorted indignantly. "I have a wonderful singing voice. You just don't   
appreciate quality music."  
  
"I don't appreciate quality screeching," he shot back painfully. "You can't defeat us with   
your banshee's howl!"  
  
"Right! I can't lose!" Sailor V added. "I have to sing more for Otonaru-kun! I have to take   
first in the marathon like I promised! I have to show Otonaru-kun the wonders of living!"  
  
"Mina!" Artemis said proudly. "That's great! I take my hat off to you this time! You made   
me cry! Here's a reward, Mina!" He flipped through the air, producing a golden microphone.   
"Your new item, the Venus mike!"  
  
"How kawaii," Masked Knight commented.  
  
"Thank you, Artemis...!" she said as she grabbed the mike. "Thank you, my fans! Please,   
listen to my new song, which I sing from the heart!" She held out the microphone towards   
the woman. "Masked Knight, on back-up vocals! Venus Ten Billion Volt Rock 'N' Rouge!"  
  
Masked Knight brought out his sword and flung it at Mike Makki, where it struck her in her   
left shoulder. The woman was then destroyed as bolts of electricity struck the sword and   
electrocuted her. Tears come to Sailor V's eyes as she imagines her crowd applauding.  
  
"Thank you, everyone! I will return to a normal girl!" she said happily as Masked Knight   
just stared at her. Obviously, she handn't yet realized that the mike had gone on overload   
and was now just barely smoking.  
  
"Anou... Venus...."  
  
"Itai! My hand!"  
  
"Never mind...."  
  
Artemis glanced at the two and sighed heavily. 'Why me?'  
  
**********************************************  
  
A few days later, Minako held up her Hachimaki stone as she broke the tape at the finish   
line of the marathon. "What!?" all of the boys exclaimed in shock. "This year's winner is a   
seventh grader? A girl?!?"  
  
"You got it!" Ryoku said proudly. "My best friend and partner, Aino Minako-chan! The   
winner!" A small smirk spread across his face for a second. 'Good thing she found her own   
Hachimaki stone in time,' he thought. 'She wouldn't have wanted to win without it.'  
  
"Otonaru-kun!" Minako said happily as she ran up to him. "This is proof of our love! I   
brought the goal tape I broke! It's thanks to the Hachimaki stone you gave me!"  
  
"Aino!!" Otonaru greeted as he stood next to another girl. "Let me introduce you to my pen   
pal from Russia."  
  
"Huh???"  
  
"My operation was a big success, since she came rushing to see me. Now I'm full of hopes   
for life too. We're engaged to be married!"  
  
"Oh...," Minako said quietly. "How... nice...."  
  
"Oi! Minako-chan!" Ryoku said as he ran up to her. "How about I treat you to something to   
eat? My way of saying congratulations." As he led her away, he glanced over at Otonaru and   
his new fiancée and gave a congratulatory smile. "Good luck with your new fiancée,   
Otonaru-kun!"  
  
"Fiancée...," Minako moaned sadly as she walked with Ryoku. "He's got a fiancée...."  
  
"Maybe you'd like to go home, instead?" Ryoku asked. "I don't think you're in much of a   
mood to eat." She just nodded as she stared straight ahead. As soon as they reached her   
house, he led her straight up to her room and sat her down on her bed. As soon as he sat   
next to her, she wrapped her arms around him.   
  
"I've lost my will to live...," she whimpered sadly.  
  
"Until your 2982nd first love..." Artemis muttered dryly to himself.  
  
Ryoku merely sighed as he tried to console his best friend. 'Don't worry, Minako-chan,' he   
thought to himself as he hugged his friend. 'You'll find your real first love one of these   
days....'  
  
**********************************************  
  
Disclaimer: All original materials belong to their respective owners. Sailor Moon belongs   
to Naoko Takeuchi and a bunch of big companies. No copyright infringement is intended. This   
story belongs me, so I would appreciate it very much if you would ask for permission before   
posting it anywhere else. Thank you.  
  
The Question and all stories included are:  
Copyright © July 6, 2001 Jason C. Ulloa.   
Manga translation by Alex Glover © 1996  
All Rights Reserved. 


	11. Chapter 10

Alone No More: Minako's Story  
by Jason C. Ulloa  
  
  
Chapter 10  
  
"Good morning!" Minako greeted cheerily as she walked into the classroom.  
  
"Good morning, Minako-chan," Ryoku greeted from his seat as he looked up from the book he   
was reading.  
  
"Morning, Minako!" one of her classmates shouted. "Hey, did you buy the Sports News?"   
  
"Of course!" she replied with a wide smile. "I never miss an article on Ace!"  
  
And there went Ryoku's good morning. To make matters worse, she brought out the   
aforementioned article and showed it to everyone. It read: The popular idol Saijou Ace   
storms through Asia! Moving on to Hollywood!? A joint Japanese-Chinese movie! World CD   
sales total fifty million!  
  
Nearby, someone glanced over at Ryoku. He was still reading his book, but for a moment he   
could've sworn that he heard the sound of teeth grinding....  
  
"Wow!" Minako exclaimed. "Kaitou Ace is in a joint Japanese-Chinese movie!? Filmed on   
location in China!? And his CDs sell all over the world!?"  
  
"At first, he was just worshipped as Kaitou Ace," Hikaru said, "but now he's an idol around   
the world!"  
  
Ryoku slowly set his book down on the table before the urge to rip it into several thousand   
pieces overcame him. 'Kaitou Ace! Kaitou Ace! Che!' he snorted mentally. 'I still say he's   
trouble. Why the hell did he have to go and make himself even more famous? Now I'll never   
hear the end of it!' He sighed to himself as he slowly calmed himself down. He shouldn't   
let that... idol... ruin what had been, until a short while ago, a good morning.  
  
"What!?" Minako exclaimed as she pointed to a part of the article. "An intimate   
relationship has been discovered between Ace and his project coordinator!?"  
  
"With his foster parent producer?" Hikaru asked. "It must be a gimmick to sell movies."  
  
"Oh! Look! Look!" Minako said excitedly. "They're searching for the part of Ace's love   
interest! A Chinese princess! Maybe I'll go to the audition! And if I'm chosen, I'll be in   
China with Ace!"  
  
Suddenly, the pen in her shirt pocket beeped. "What was that?" Hikaru asked.  
  
"Oh! Nothing, Hikaru-chan," Minako said as glanced pointedly at Ryoku, who was already   
getting up out of his seat and heading for the door. "Excuse me for a minute." She quickly   
ran outside and took the pen out. "Boss?"  
  
"Mina! Ryoku!" Boss' voice said urgently. "It's trouble! Meet at the command center at   
once!"  
  
"Understood!" they acknowledged simultaneously.  
  
**********************************************  
  
Minako and Ryoku ran to the Crown Game Center. Minako quickly took out a handful of   
hundred-yen pieces and dropped them into the UFO catcher as Ryoku looked around to see if   
anyone else was around. He gave her a signal, indicating that they were alone.  
  
"O-nii-san!" she called out sweetly.  
  
"Oh, Minako-chan!" says Motoki. "It's nice to see you and Ryo-kun."  
  
"The catcher is stopped up!" she told him. "Please fix it!"  
  
Motoki noticed a bunch of Sailor V and Masked Knight dolls stacked up along one of the   
glass walls and tried to move them out of the way.  
  
"While we've got the chance...," Minako whispered to Ryoku. He nodded as they walked up to   
the Sailor V game. She dropped a coin in and started to play. While she played, Ryoku   
quickly hit a hidden button behind the game. Two words suddenly appeared on the screen:   
Game Endless. The game machine then disappeared and the floor opened up beneath them. They   
landed in the basement, wearing masks and sailor suits.  
  
"Codename: Sailor V."  
  
"Codename: Masked Knight."  
  
"We are here," they said as one.  
  
"That was fast, Mina! Ryoku!" Artemis said.  
  
"Sailor V! Masked Knight! This is trouble!" Boss' voice said urgently. "Until now, you've   
pursued a great number of mysterious events domestically. However, recently similar events   
are occurring frequently across Asia. Is this the work of an unknown enemy syndicate? Or is   
it the remaining members of the defeated Dark Agency?"  
  
"What?" Sailor V exclaimed. "Is the Dark Agency still around?"  
  
"Looks like it," says Artemis.  
  
"So, what is our assignment, Boss?" Masked Knight asked.  
  
"Your next target," Boss said, "is the entertainment producer spreading over the world,   
Avex Trax Productions!"  
  
"Avex Trax Productions?" Sailor V shouted disbelievingly. "Ace!? No way!!"  
  
"I thought as much," Masked Knight growled. "I knew that guy was trouble!"  
  
"Knight!" Sailor V gasped. "You don't seriously think that...."  
  
"Yes," Boss interrupted. "It is the production company the mysterious idol Saijou Ace   
belongs to. Ace is at the head of a list of a thousand talents managed by Asia's top   
producer, the Chinese president of the company, Linlin." A graph appeared on the screen,   
showing two jagged lines rising. "Corresponding with the advance of these talents, I've   
confirmed sudden rising instances of mass disappearances and strange monster appearances!"  
  
"There's no volcanoes without fire!" Sailor V stated.  
  
"Mina, you said that on purpose...," Artemis groaned.  
  
"Anou.... I think you meant, 'There's no smoke without fire,' Venus," Masked Knight said   
flatly.  
  
"Sailor V!" Boss continued. "This time your duty is to infiltrate the audition for Ace's   
movie sponsored by Avex Trax, and win the role of Ace's love interest by whatever means   
necessary."  
  
"What?" Sailor V gasped.  
  
"What?!?" Masked Knight choked, his eyes going wide in shock.  
  
"Then, you and Masked Knight fly to China where the numerous events are occurring, uncover   
the truth, and solve the incidents! Good luck!"  
  
"All right!" Sailor V said excitedly. "I can use any means necessary! I'll do it!" Masked   
Knight was still acting like he was in a state of apoplexy.  
  
"You're really getting active in your mission, Mina!" Artemis observed. "Could it be   
because of my special training? You're splendid as a soldier of justice."  
  
"I have a very bad feeling about this," Masked Knight muttered ominously to himself.  
  
"I have a feeling," Sailor V said. "This coming battle will not be like all the others! And   
it's in China, as a Chinese princess! An idol! Ace's love interest! Love! Who's this   
company president...?" she murmured thoughtfully, but that thought was washed away by the   
torrent the previous thoughts had started. "It's my first love! On mainland China, I'll get   
Ace's heart!"  
  
Fireworks lit up behind her as a banner unfolded, reading: First love number 5000!   
Congratulations!  
  
Sailor V glanced behind her and sweatdropped. "Nani yo kore?!? Artemis!!!"  
  
"Ehehehe...."  
  
**********************************************  
  
"I'm home!" Minako said as she walked through the door. "I'm starved! Oh, that smell! We   
must be having gyoza today."  
  
As she crossed the living room, the phone rang. Since she was the closest, Minako answered   
it. "Hi, this is the Aino Restaurant! I want to get some genuine Chinese cooking!"  
  
"Is that voice Minako-chan??" Minako grimaced as she recognized the voice. "How are you   
doing? It's me, it's me! The superintendent-general of the Metropolitan Police Board,   
Sakurada Natsuna-chan! Minako-chan, I mean, Sailor V, how about it? Have you and Ryoku-san -   
I mean, Masked Knight - reached a decision about joining the police??"  
  
Minako sighed. Ever since she found out their secret identities, she started calling her   
once every week....  
  
"So?? Will you and Ryoku-san join the police force? For Minako-chan and her partner, I'll   
give you both special treatment. You two can work together with me! Come on, how about it?"  
  
'She's a huge fan of Sailor V and Masked Knight,' she thought to herself. 'But, I like   
talking to her, so maybe the police would be all right. I'm sure Ryo-kun wouldn't mind,   
either. After all, we enjoy working together....'  
  
**********************************************  
  
After Saijou Ace sang on stage, the audience cheered. Above, a banner reads: Avex Trax -   
Final Audition for The Chinese Princess Story movie.  
  
"That was Ace-san singing the movie's theme song," the hostess said. "Now to continue with   
the costume judging."  
  
Minako watched within the crowd of contestants; the number 23 pinned to her shirt. Beside   
her, feeling very embarrassed and humiliated, Ryoku stood wearing a number 25 pinned to   
his, or rather, her shirt. "Why I let you do this to me again, I still don't know," she   
muttered in a pained, suffering voice. At least he was whining in a feminine voice so as   
not to give away his true gender. Ryoku was excellent at disguising his voice.  
  
"Well, you were the one who said he needed to come, too," Minako replied. "Still, I'm gonna   
have to work really hard to beat cute Ryoku-chan!" she said with a giggle.  
  
"Mou!" Ryoku humphed as she indignantly crossed her arms over her shirt. "Go on, have your   
fun at my male pride's expense! See if I care!" Minako just laughed harder.  
  
"Well, shall we ask Ace-san here?" the hostess continued as she turned to Ace. "Ace-san,   
which girl would you like to play the role opposite you?"  
  
"They perform well for amateurs," Ace remarked. "I would like a girl who is innocent, yet   
sexy." He smiled humbly. "But, I'm being selfish."  
  
"Selfish isn't the half of it," Ryoku grumbled.  
  
"Now, on with the swimsuit competition!"  
  
"Nan...," Ryoku gasped out in a choked voice as she sweatdropped. "NANI YO?!?"  
  
"Here we go!" Minako shouted, running out of the room while dragging a protesting   
Ryoku behind her.  
  
"No!" she screamed. "You wouldn't! You couldn't! You wouldn't be so cruel to your partner,   
would you? How would I ever be able to live through the shame? Mako-chan wouldn't know   
whether to call me Oniichan or Oneechan! Onegai, Minako-chan! Onegaishimasu!!!" Minako   
grinned micheviously as she held up her compact. "Do it and I'll never forgive you."  
  
"I know you, Ryoku-chan," Minako teased. "By the time this's all over, we'll be joking   
about this for weeks! Crescent Moon Power Transform! Change Ryoku-chan into a cute bathing   
beauty! Change me into a sexy new model!"  
  
Before running out on stage, Minako stopped to see what they were wearing. Ryoku was   
wearing a modestly cute, silver one-piece swimsuit. She was also surprised to find that the   
compact had gone above and beyond its normal transformation powers. To her eyes, Ryoku was   
anatomically correct.  
  
"Kyaa!" Ryoku gasped as she felt at her chest and groin area. She sighed as she found that   
they were only illusions. "Arigatou gozaimasu, Kami-sama...," she breathed as she turned to   
Minako. She was about to give her a long harangue over making her think she had lost her   
manhood, when she suddenly went breathless.  
  
Minako looked at herself in the mirror and grinned. She had unconsciously changed into that   
same skimpy, two-piece bikini that she used before, during her trip to Greece. Apparently,   
it wasn't going to give Ryoku a nosebleed, but her stunned expression was priceless enough.   
It was definitely the effect she was going for. If she could affect Ryoku like that, then   
she was sure to win.  
  
"Like it?" Minako couldn't help but ask.  
  
"You truly are a reincarnation of the goddess of beauty," Ryoku whispered, still staring.   
'She is gorgeous!' her mind babbled. 'Absolutely the sexiest girl I have ever seen in my   
life! I can't see how I've never seen Minako-chan in this way before.... Minako-chan!?!'   
She snapped back to reality and laughed in chagrin, while putting her hand behind her head.   
"Ehehehe.... Ah, gomen, Minako-chan. I didn't mean to stare."  
  
Minako shook her head and smiled. "Let's go, Ryoku-chan! I've got a contest and a role   
opposite Ace to win!"  
  
She was cheered by the crowd in the swimsuit competition and then the performance   
competition. Amazingly enough, Ryoku got almost as much applause, which confounded the poor   
girl to no end.  
  
"And now to announce the grand prize!" the hostess announced. "Number 23, Aino Minako!!"  
  
"I did it!" Minako shouted happily, holding the trophy as she hugged Ryoku. "An easy win!"  
  
"And now, receive the flower bouquet from the president of Avex Trax Productions, Mary   
Linlin." A woman handed a bouquet of flowers to Minako.  
  
"Congratulations, Miss Minako," she said. "You did well. Ace and I have high hopes for you,   
yes."  
  
"Oh!" Minako murmured aside to Ryoku. "So, this is the Chinese woman president we've heard   
about."  
  
"Linlin," Ryoku agreed with a nod. "We should be wary of her."  
  
"Congratulations, Minako-chan," Ace said as he walked up to her.  
  
"Wow! It's Ace!" Minako said excitedly.  
  
"Oh, be still my girlish heart," Ryoku muttered flatly as she crossed her arms beneath her   
'breasts'.  
  
"The heroine is a strong princess who rescues Kaitou Ace when he's in trouble," Ace said   
smoothly. "You fit perfectly. October 22nd. Your birth flower is the dahlia." He handed   
Minako a dahlia flower. "In the language of flowers, it means fickleness." He then kissed   
her cheek. "I ask of you earnestly, don't be unfaithful."  
  
Ryoku could feel her anger burning at the back of her head. 'We'll see who's fickle and   
unfaithful!' she thought as she quivered slightly in anger, then all but stomped away to   
wait for Minako to remove her disguise.  
  
**********************************************  
  
Through the mists, a figure reached out to her. 'Venus, help me!' the voice cried out to   
her.  
  
'Who is that calling me?' Minako thought as her eyes opened. 'Could it be... Ace!?' She   
looked at the framed picture of him sitting by her bed. "Today's the day I set off for the   
mainland with you," she said to the picture. "This isn't a dream! Ace, wait for me! I'm   
coming to help you now!"  
  
**********************************************  
  
Natsuna and Wakagi stood in the south terminal of Narita Airport with Minako and Ryoku.   
After Natsuna had discovered their identities, she was so happy that she allowed Wakagi to   
come back from their Siberian branch. When Wakagi learned of this, his distrust of Sailor V   
and Masked Knight ebbed until it was now gone. Besides, he knew that eventually they'd end   
up working for the police. Natsuna was a very persistant woman.  
  
"What!?" Natsuna said in shock. "An incident in China!? And the company Ace belongs to   
could be an enemy!?"  
  
"Keep your voice down, Natsuna-oneesan!" Minako warned.  
  
"You don't know who could be listening!" Ryoku added.  
  
"I can't! It's dangerous, Minako-chan! You and Ryoku-san are going into enemy territory all   
by yourselves!"  
  
"It's fine, it's fine," Minako said reassuringly. "I'm traveling the world again. I'm the   
passport-carrying soldier of justice, Sailor V, with my partner, Masked Knight!"  
  
"Don't worry, we'll be fine," Ryoku added. 'I just wish we didn't have to go by plane. I   
hate planes.'  
  
"This time, you should have police backup to protect you," Natsuna insisted. "And let us   
work with you, too!"  
  
"We'll be all right," Minako told her. "Leave things to us. Besides, we've got Artemis."  
  
A teenage girl with short blue hair passed behind them.  
  
"We're not alone," Ryoku added.  
  
The blue-haired girl approached another woman. "Good luck at the scientific convention,   
Mom," she said.  
  
"Thanks, Ami-chan," the woman said to her daughter. "I'll call you."  
  
"That's right, Sailor V!" Natsuna replied. "You're not alone! You've got us with you. If   
anything happens, be sure to contact us!"  
  
'Yes...,' Minako thought. 'We're not alone.' She and Ryoku turned and looked around the   
terminal behind her.  
  
Ryoku's gaze caught momentarily on the blue-haired girl, but she passed out of his sight.   
'Strange...,' he thought to himself. 'It almost felt as if I knew her....'  
  
'I wonder why I thought that just now...,' Minako thought curiously to herself.  
  
"Minako-chan," Wakagi said as he handed her some items. "Take these good luck charms. A   
Metro Police original high tech Poppy-kun keychain and phone card. Do be careful." He   
turned to Ryoku. "Take care of her, Ryoku-san."  
  
"With my life," he replied firmly. Wakagi nodded approvingly.  
  
"Wakagi!" Natsuna said as Minako and Ryoku turned to leave. "I got it! How about if you go   
to China with Ryoku-san instead of Minako-chan!?"  
  
Minako looked at them as she boarded the plane with Ryoku behind her. 'Those two make such   
a cute couple,' she thought. 'Yes.... While I was thinking I was in love with Wakagi-sama,   
truly, in my heart I knew he wasn't the one. My destined partner.... Will it be you now,   
Ace?'  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Wow!" Minako said as she looked around. "The smell of China! Everyone's riding bikes! How   
come, how come?!?"  
  
"Easy, Minako-chan!" Ryoku said wryly. "You don't have to get so excited."  
  
"Oh, you've got followers in China, too!" Minako said as she noticed the crowd cheering.   
"Look at all them."  
  
"What do you and your... 'brother'... think of China, Minako-chan?" says Ace. He tried hard   
to keep his face straight. He knew Ryoku wasn't Minako's brother, but that was the only way   
she could think of that would allow Ryoku to come with her to China.  
  
"It's... crowded," Ryoku replied, his tone the example of civility. He could keep his ire   
in check, since he still didn't have any real proof of his involvement with the   
disappearances.  
  
"Oh, I've been waiting for this!" Minako exclaimed. "The flavor of five thousand years of   
China! Santou, and Szechwan, and Kouso, and Canton! Ah, I'm hungry!"  
  
"Hai!" Ryoku said eagerly. "Me, too!" If there was one thing he loved, it was Chinese food.  
  
Linlin shoved Minako away from Ace. "They say the Chinese will eat anything that flies but   
an airplane," she said in a conversational tone, "and anything with four legs but a table,   
yes. They even barbecue cat, yes."  
  
Ryoku grimaced. "Suddenly, I'm not that hungry anymore...."  
  
Packed in Minako's suitcase, Artemis started to panic.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Regrettable, yes," Linlin said, as she ate. "That girl's an amateur, but her chemistry   
with Ace is perfect. How impudent, yes."  
  
"Linlin, message!" a voice called from the back.  
  
"Be right there!" she said as she stood up. "After we, the Dark Agency, expand as Avex   
Trax, we will have all of the Far East in our hands," she murmured to herself as she left.   
"Our plans are progressing more favorably than expected, yes. With the world idol Ace as   
bait, they will sniff out our plans. Our hated enemies, Sailor V and Masked Knight, will   
surely appear, yes! I, Linlin, will put an end to those eyesores, Sailor V and Masked   
Knight! For the lovely Danburite-sama, I will take care of this, yes."  
  
**********************************************  
  
The filming begins with TV China. According to the story, it is the 30th century. In the   
Ranran Kingdom, the First Order Royal Princess, Princess Runrun, would not bestow her   
glance on her assembled suitors. She was devoted to the criminal, Kaitou Ace. One night,   
Ace sneaked into the royal palace vault.  
  
"Halt!" Ryoku commanded in a gruff commanding voice. It was decided that since the company   
had paid to have him come to China with his... 'sister', they might as well give him a   
minor role. He was given the role of the Princess' loyal retainer. "Who is that before the   
vault?!?"  
  
Minako stepped forward as she held out a lantern. "Well, it's Kaitou Ace. Did you come to   
steal the royal family crest, the jade jewel?" Ryoku rested his hand on the sword at his   
side, waiting for Ace to make a move.  
  
"No," Ace said as he picked up a shining white stone. "There is another treasure I came to   
steal."  
  
"What?" Minako asked. "A pearl?"  
  
"This is the Venus Droplet," Ace told her. "When you were born from the foam of the sea of   
Venus, a droplet spilled from your body and became a jewel. Don't you remember, Princess   
Venus?"  
  
'Princess Venus?!?' Ryoku thought confusedly. 'Wasn't she supposed to be a Chinese   
princess? Who the hell wrote this script, anyway.... Wait! Could he know...?'  
  
'What?!?' Minako thought, her expression one of confusion.   
  
From his position off the set, Artemis stood back aghast.  
  
"Cut!" Linlin shouted. She was also the director. "Great, great. Ace, your idea was really   
good, yes."  
  
Ace took the mask from his eyes and grinned. "Wasn't it?" he said smugly. "We'll go with   
the plan of the Chinese princess truly being the princess of Earth's twin planet, Venus."  
  
'Ace!!' Artemis thought confoundedly. 'How does he know of Venus...?!?'  
  
"Could he have uncovered my identity?" Minako asked aside to both Artemis and Ryoku.   
"Speaking of which, you said Venus was my mother planet. How is Venus the mother planet of   
a Tokyo girl like me? Could it be...? Was I a child found under a bridge?!? And what about   
Ryo-kun? Was he born on Venus, too?"  
  
"No, he was born on Jupiter," he said absently, as the shock of Ace's statement still   
hadn't worn off.  
  
"Nani yo?!?" both Minako and Ryoku exclaimed at the same time.  
  
"Anyway, Mina," Artemis continued as he regained his composure. "We must have a change in   
strategy. We'll all return to Japan at once. Ace is an enemy! This is dangerous! And I have   
something important to tell you and Ryoku...." He looked around, finding himself alone.   
"Mina? Ryo-kun?"   
  
**********************************************  
  
'It's okay with me,' Minako thought to herself as she searched for Ace. She had left   
Artemis talking with Ryoku; he was probably telling Ryoku about his being born on Jupiter.   
'Even if he's an enemy. Even if he's uncovered my identity. I know it's gonna make Ryo-kun   
mad at me, though. I don't wanna hurt him, but... I just need to tell him....'  
  
"Ace!" she called out as she entered another room. 'I know. If I tell him the truth about   
my identity, he might show me who he really is. There's no need to tell him about Ryo-kun,   
though....'  
  
"Ace! There's something I want to tell you...."  
  
"Minako," Ace said as he stepped out of the shadows.  
  
'What!?' Minako thought, noting the absence of the '-chan' honorific. "No suffix all of a   
sudden?"  
  
"I bought you a ring," he said, holding out a ring box. He opened it, took out the ring and   
slid it onto her finger. "It's 24 karat gold."   
  
"Wow, it's so pretty!" she exclaimed as she took a close look at the ring. She then looked   
up at him questioningly. "Why are you giving me this?"   
  
"Because, Minako...," he said before bending down and kissing her on the lips. "I love   
you." Minako swooned at the kiss.  
  
From his hiding place in the shadows, a very dark and ominous expression covered his face.   
His gray eyes flashed sharply in a barely contained cold rage as he silently watched.   
'Minako-chan.... How could you? Would you betray your partner to be with... with him?' His   
rage slowly subsided as a dispiriting gloom set in. 'Is this the end between us?' he   
wondered forlornly as he sadly turned to leave.  
  
Ace held out a deck of cards to Minako. "I'll tell your love fortune," he told her. "Pick a   
card you like." She took a card and held it out. "The ace of clubs. A crossroads in   
fortune. Do you love me?"  
  
"I...." She hesitated for a moment. "I love you!"  
  
"A lie."  
  
He dropped the card to the ground as he frowned. "You are never serious. You always choose   
something more important than love."  
  
"No, that's not true!" Minako said in denial. "I'm always serious about love! Love is the   
most important! Nothing else is ahead of it! You are the most important, Ace!"  
  
'Although...,' she thought, 'being so busy with my job as Sailor V day after day, I haven't   
had a chance to get a boyfriend. Being a soldier of justice.... Like Artemis and Boss said,   
there's nothing I can do about it.... Is there nothing I can do? No.... My life now is   
staked on the love of Sailor V. Compared to that.... That time....'  
  
'Hey, Mina-chan!' Motoki greeted.  
  
'Hi o-nii-san!' she replied with a grin.  
  
'A big, red ribbon,' Higashi had told her once.  
  
'And that time...,' she continued. As she remembered Saitou kissing her deeply as she was   
disguised as his former teacher.  
  
'Your teachers at school may let you get away with that,' Wakagi had said to her, 'but the   
police won't!'  
  
'Oh! He's cute!' she had thought. 'Even with that angry face, he looks like a nice guy!'  
  
'Have I really staked my life on love?' she wondered worriedly. 'I always do it only   
halfway. Have I never been serious?'  
  
'Even if it's just to take a look,' she told Otonaru. 'How about it? Okay?'  
  
"But, this time I mean it!" Minako told Ace. "I swear on my life, I love you Ace! I do love   
you, don't I?"  
  
Ace frowned slightly. "Why are you asking me?"  
  
"Because...," she admitted. "I don't really know...."  
  
He flicked his finger across her forehead in vexation. "You're a child," he told her.   
"Haven't you awakened yet?" He sighed as he turned and walked away.  
  
"Ace...!!!" she shouted as she ran after him, but she lost him.  
  
Linlin watched from behind a corner and scowled. 'Oh...,' she thought fiercely. 'I let my   
eyes off him for one moment, and that little girl.... A ring?!? A kiss?!? A love fortune?!?   
I won't allow it! I'll remember this!"  
  
**********************************************  
  
Minako sat up groggily in bed. She glanced over to the bed on the other side of the room.   
Since they were supposedly siblings, they were made to share a room. At first, they were   
both a little disturbed by the arrangement, even if they were sleeping in separate beds,   
but gradually they had gotten used to it. In fact, Ryoku had become so used to it, that he   
had gone back to sleeping shirtless again, much to her surprise and delight. He wasn't   
extremely well-built, but at least his muscles were well-defined, which she found   
fascinating.  
  
She sighed as she saw that Ryoku wasn't there and the bed was still undisturbed. She   
should've known that he would've followed her and saw everything. He didn't have to tell   
her; she knew him. She must've really hurt him bad for him not to come back to their room   
for the entire night.  
  
"You had a nightmare last night," Artemis said as he saw her awaken.  
  
A feminine figure reached out through the mist, shouting, 'Venus, help me!' Minako frowned   
thoughtfully for a second. "Oh? Really?" she asked, yawning. Then, her expression turned to   
one of concern. "Ryo-kun didn't come back yet, did he?"  
  
Artemis shook his head sadly.  
  
"I saw it again...," she told him as she got out of bed. "A dream, and somebody telling me   
to help them.... It must be Ace. Or... could it be Ryo-kun? I can never see the face   
clearly...."  
  
Artemis opened the laptop computer Boss had sent with them and read the screen's display:  
  
File 15: Saijou Ace  
Date of birth: Unknown  
Age: Unknown  
Gender: Unknown  
Blood type: Unknown  
Native country: Unknown  
Date of first appearance: Unknown  
All data: Unknown  
Company: Avex Trax Productions  
Most famous work: Kaitou Ace  
  
"Mina," he said warningly, "right now, Boss is investigating Ace for us. Be very careful at   
today's filming."  
  
"Ace is not an enemy!" she retorted heatedly. "Nothing's happened at the filmings so far!"   
She looked out the window, searching for something. "Artemis! Look!" she pointed out.   
"Where all those fans were gathered for Ace, now there's not one!" She looked around again.   
"There are none of Ace's fans, not a sign of life in the city!" She frowned again, this   
time a little fearfully, as well as concernedly.  
  
"Artemis! Do you think that something could've happened to Ryo-kun?" she asked, her voice   
becoming partially hysterical with worry. "He never came back and I haven't seen him since   
yesterday, after Ace called me Princess Venus!" Her worry began to turn into fear. "Do you   
think that the enemy has him? They could've killed him! Oh, it's all my fault.... He left   
because he felt that I betrayed him for Ace. It's my fault.... ITE!"  
  
She was interrupted as Artemis bit her on the leg. "Gomen, Mina, but this's no time for   
hysterics," he told her. "Have faith in your partner. I'm sure he's fine. Deep down, I'm   
sure you know that, too.  
  
"It seems the enemy has started to move," he continued as he pointed to a map on his   
computer screen. "Look! People are rapidly disappearing in the surrounding areas....   
Shimatta!" he muttered as he noticed Minako heading for the door.  
  
"Artemis! It's time for the filming! I'm going!" she shouted over her shoulder. "You're   
right! Ryo-kun would never let himself get caught and he'd never abandon me when I need his   
help. I'm sure he'll be at the studio."  
  
"Mina!" he yelled as he tried to get her attention.  
  
"I'll be all right! Leave this to Minako-sama!"  
  
**********************************************  
  
Minako opened the door to her dressing room and found the entire room sacked. The mirror   
was broken and the floor was littered with her shredded costume with Ryoku's prop sword   
sticking straight up in the floor right in the middle of the mess. "This is horrible!" she   
said angrily. "My outfit! What?" she exclaimed as she picked up one of her shoes. "There   
are thumbtacks in my shoes?!? I don't believe this!"  
  
Linlin cracked open the door slightly and peeked in. "Heh, heh, heh," she laughed softly.   
"A good feeling, yes. She'll be sorry, yes! When the movie bearing my name is completed,   
she will no longer be needed. Shall I boil her and eat her? Or shall I bake her and eat   
her? Maybe with her brother as a second course, yes?"  
  
"This really pisses me off!" Minako growled fiercely. "Let's go! Crescent Moon Power   
Transform! Change me into the greatest female pirate of the China Sea, Chin Shi!"   
  
"What?" Linlin gasped in shock. "She transformed!? This power, could it be, this little   
girl is... Sailor V!? Then, her brother.... Masked Knight!"  
  
"Who's there!?" Minako demanded as she spun around to look behind her.  
  
Linlin quickly jumped back from the door and ran down the hall.  
  
"Wait!" Minako shouted as she ran after her. As she followed her, she burst through the   
doors at the end of the hallway and spotted Ace with his back turned to her. "Ace!?"   
  
Ace turned around and looked curiously at her. "You're...," he said, half to himself.  
  
'She must have escaped back here,' Minako thought to herself. 'No way, is it you? Are you   
really my enemy after all!? Was Ryo-kun right all this time?'  
  
Overhead, a vase fell from a ledge above them, heading straight for Ace. "Look out!" Minako   
shouted as she shoved Ace out of the way. They both fell to the ground, with her laying   
over him.  
  
"Is that you, Minako?" he asked, gazing up at her.  
  
"Huh?" Minako asked, perplexed. "H-how did you...?"   
  
"I know," he replied certainly. "I told you, didn't I? Because I love you, I know   
everything about you."  
  
'Everything?' she thought questioningly. 'Even that I'm Sailor V?'  
  
He reached up to touch her cheek. "Being protected by you like this," he said happily,   
"it's like a dream. You always protect me."  
  
"Of course," Minako told him. "I'll always protect you. Because I am Sailor...." She paused   
suddenly. 'I'll always protect you...,' she thought questioningly, as if trying to remember   
something. 'I vowed that once before....'  
  
Again, her dreams played out in her mind. A feminine figure reached out through the mist;   
her two tails of hair flowing behind her. 'Venus, help me!' she implored desparately.  
  
"I'm happy," Ace said with a satisfied grin. "Now, we're finally lovers. I love you,   
Minako."  
  
'Why am I so uneasy?' Minako thinks. 'This isn't it either.'  
  
Ace pulled her face close to his....  
  
'This love isn't the real thing either....' She pulled away from Ace and stood up. "This   
person is not the one I'm supposed to protect!" she said as she shoved Ace away.  
  
"No!" Linlin shouted as she ran to his side. "Danburite-sama!!" She turned to Minako and   
scowled fiercely at her. "You bitch! Throwing him down, and knocking him across the room!   
Show me your true self now, Sailor V!!"  
  
"What, I got discovered again!?" Minako exclaimed, then stared back at her. "Well, then you   
show me your true self, too! Moon Power Transform!" She appeared in her sailor suit and   
mask.  
  
"I am a single flower of the dahlia tree, a lovely native of Tokyo in end-of-the-century   
China! Codename: Sailor V!" she announced. "The messenger of justice, the sailor-suited   
beautiful soldier, I am Sailor Venus!"  
  
Before she could continue, a sword flashed through the air and struck the ground between   
Sailor V and Linlin. Sailor V blinked in surprise as she recognized Ryoku's Star Sword.  
  
"I am a loyal retainer, sworn to protect his mistress, a lovely native of Tokyo in   
end-of-the-century China! Codename: Masked Knight!" he announced from the top of a castle   
tower that belonged to part of the movie set. He leaped down and landed beside Sailor V,   
then plucked the Star Sword from its resting position in the ground. "The harbinger of   
justice, the sailor-suited handsome soldier, I am Sailor Knight!"  
  
"You're here!" Sailor V exclaimed in surprise. "I thought that...."  
  
"I'd never leave you, no matter what happens," Masked Knight told her with a smile. "We're   
partners, Venus. Partners and friends. Always."  
  
"Knight...," she replied softly with a smile, then turned back to Linlin. "Trying to   
capture all the 28 million square kilometers and 1.3 billion people of China! The New   
Democratic Theory of Moutakutou in 1940 and the People's Liberation Army may allow it, but   
I, Sailor V...."  
  
"And I, Masked Knight...."  
  
"...will not!" they finished together.  
  
"So you showed, Sailor V! And Masked Knight," Linlin said, adding him in almost as an   
afterthought. "The Chinese people are about a fourth of the world's population. By   
conquering here our plan will be halfway to completion, yes! The Dark Kingdom's conquest of   
Earth is before your very eyes, indeed!"  
  
"The Dark Kingdom?!?" Sailor V and Masked Knight exclaimed simultaneously.  
  
"The flavor of five thousand years of China!" Linlin announced. "I, the beautiful heart of   
the Dark Kingdom, Princess Linlin, will be your final match, yes, indeed!" A crowd of   
people suddenly began to gather behind her.  
  
"At least we now know where everybody went...," Masked Knight commented.  
  
"The 1.3 billion population versus just Sailor V and Masked Knight?" Sailor V whispered   
nervously.   
  
"Well, if I take the 650 million on the left, you can take the 650 million on the right,"   
Masked Knight suggested in a dry, facetious tone.  
  
"I don't think there's any way we can win this one!" she replied as she turned around.   
"Ace!" He wasn't there. "He's gone! Oh no, did they take him!?"  
  
"Who cares?" he asked in vexation. "Isn't he the enemy, too?"  
  
"Danburite-sama!!" she murmured thoughtfully. "Linlin called him by that name." She glanced   
everywhere, trying to find Ace. "Is that your name?" she shouted into the air. "Was it my   
imagination?!?"  
  
"Sailor V!!" Artemis shouted urgently. "You can't be pondering the mysteries of life! Hurry   
and fight!"  
  
A cage suddenly closed around him. Linlin grinned maliciously as she picked it up. "Mmm,"   
she said hungrily. "This cat looks delicious, yes. I'll have to barbecue it and eat it   
later, yes."  
  
"That's horrible!" Masked Knight exclaimed as he grimaced. "You can't do that to Artemis!"  
  
"Artemis!?" Sailor V gasped. "This is Sailor V's ultimate pinch!!!"  
  
"I have an idea," he said suddenly.  
  
"What's that?" she asked, hopefully.  
  
"This," he said as he leapt forward with his Star Sword and tried to attack Linlin.   
Unfortunately, she was quicker than he thought and easily dodged the attack while kicking   
him aside.  
  
"Sailor V!" she yelled as she drew a fancy knife. "This is my five thousand year old   
Chinese ritual! Take this, yes indeed! Linlin Ranran Dragon Blade!" She leapt forward at   
Sailor V while trying to plunge her knife between Sailor V's eyes.  
  
"Hiyah!" she cried as she caught the blade between her hands, mere inches from her face.  
  
"Damn, you impudent little girl, yes!" Linlin exclaimed before getting kicked in the side   
of her head by Masked Knight.  
  
"Stop saying yes all the time!" Artemis yelled, still trapped in the cage. "Let me out!"  
  
"But, I'll be kind with you, yes!" Linlin said with a wicked grin. "Linlin Ranran Ramen!"   
Strands of noodles shot at Sailor V and Masked Knight, wrapping around them. "Mmm, I'm   
getting hungry, yes! I'll barbecue you two with the cat, yes!"  
  
"I am NOT an entrée!" Masked Knight exclaimed indignantly.  
  
"Oh no!" Sailor V exclaimed. "If we're barbecued, Artemis, Knight, and I will be Peking   
duck!"  
  
"Chinese cooking shows the power of heating!" Linlin stated grandly.  
  
"I can't defeat the five thousand year old flavor of China!" Sailor V moaned. "Knight!   
Artemis! Ace! Somebody!!!"  
  
'Venus!' she suddenly remembered hearing some voices shout. She turned around to see three   
girls and one guy in sailor suits running toward her. The guy looked vaguely like Masked   
Knight....  
  
'Everyone!'  
  
'Huh?!?' Sailor V wondered. 'N... Nani?!? This vision... Everyone?!? Who are you?!?"  
  
A playing card suddenly flew at her, slicing away the noodles trapping her. It also cut   
across Linlin's face, and flew back to the hand of the man standing above them.  
  
Quickly seizing her chance, she hurriedly freed Masked Knight from his bindings. "Ace!!"   
she shouted gratefully above her.  
  
"Nan... nan da?" Masked Knight muttered in perplexity as he rubbed the back of his head.  
  
"Danburite-sama!!" Linlin whined. "Why!?"  
  
'Ace saved me!' Sailor V thought to herself.  
  
'What does that guy think he's doing, anyway,' Masked Knight thought to himself. 'Exactly   
who's side is he on?!?'  
  
"Mina! Ryo-kun!" Artemis shouted from inside the cage. "The five thousand year old flavor   
of China.... No, the 1.3 billion people of China! Protect them!"  
  
"Leave it to us, yes!" Sailor V said.  
  
"Now, don't you start...," Masked Knight said warningly as he folded his arms crossly.  
  
"At any rate...," she continued. "The million horsepower of strong valor! Venus Love   
Megaton Shower! Expose the truth, yes!"  
  
Masked Knight groaned, but raised his sword anyway. "Knight Power-up Blade Impact!" he   
shouted as he flung his Star Sword into Sailor V's attack, dramatically increasing its   
power. The shining light destroyed Linlin... and blasted through the roof of the studio as   
well.  
  
"Mina! Ryoku!" Artemis yelled chidingly as the building begans to crumble.  
  
"Anou...," Masked Knight said in chagrin.  
  
"Oops! We used too much power!" she added.  
  
"Kind of an understatement, Venus," he muttered as he rubbed the back of his head.  
  
"Everyone, hurry and get out of here! The place is collapsing!" she shouted as she turned   
to the people gathered. The people, wakened from the mental control Linlin had over them,   
quickly scattered.  
  
"Mina! Ryoku!" Artemis called out as he was still trapped in the cage.  
  
"Artemis!" Sailor V shouted as Masked Knight slashed open the cage with his Star Sword.   
"Everyone!" She, Masked Knight, and Artemis ran through the rubble and falling pillars.  
  
'A crumbling palace set...,' Sailor V suddenly thought to herself. 'I've seen this   
somewhere before....' She thought back to the warning she shouted to the crowd. 'I've   
shouted that once before....'  
  
"Sorry, Linlin," Ace said as he turned to leave the crumbling building. "I will defeat   
Sailor V!"  
  
"Ace, look out!" Sailor V warned, as blocks began to fall from the ceiling around him. A   
falling pillar landed first on Sailor V, knocking her to the ground, then on Masked Knight,   
who went back to save her.  
  
"Uh...." she moaned as she looked up to see fires burn all around them. "Knight! Ace!   
Artemis! I can't save them now.... The people I love are caught in the flames.... This   
can't happen...."  
  
The visions returned. Serenity ran through the crumbling palace.  
  
'This can't happen again!' she mentally screamed. 'It can't! No!!!'  
  
Her sailor suit vanished and her body was bathed in a yellow light. Nearby, Masked Knight's   
body resonated with the yellow light and glowed with a silver light. The two pillars were   
flung aside as they settled back down to the ground.  
  
They opened their eyes.  
  
'This memory.... Flowing in.... This memory....'  
  
'Minako-chan...? What is this... I'm seeing...?'  
  
Serenity laughed as Artemis jumped into her arms. Nearby, her five guardian soldiers   
watched and smiled.  
  
'Am I seeing your... dreams... Minako-chan? Is this a vision? It seems strangely...   
familiar....'  
  
Ace stood on the ledge at the end of the roof and watched as the ground started to   
disappear in fog below them. "Hey...," he said as he leaped down to her. "Are you all   
right, princess of Venus? This place where the filming studio is, it often gets foggy   
around this time."  
  
'I remember when I look at the fog...,' Sailor V thought. "My still young planet, covered   
in the fog of thick sulfuric acid from the volcanic activity. Surrounded by the sulfur fog,   
my Magellan Castle. And the beautiful morning glow of my other planet...."  
  
'Good morning, Venus!' Serenity greeted cheerily. 'Good morning, Knight!'  
  
"I am not a princess," she said absently as she reached up to her face, reaching for her   
mask. Almost simultaneously, Masked Knight's hand also went up to his face, reaching for   
his mask.  
  
She dropped her mask to the ground.  
  
He dropped his mask to the ground.  
  
A jeweled tiara now covered her forehead.  
  
A jeweled necklace now adorned his neck.  
  
She stood in a new sailor suit, white and orange, with a blue bow.  
  
He stood in a new sailor suit, white and silver, with a midnight blue bow.  
  
"I am the guardian soldier of the planet Venus, Sailor Venus."  
  
"And I am a guardian soldier, born of the planet Jupiter and given the powers of the   
Earth, Sailor Knight."  
  
'Mina! Ryo-kun!' Artemis thought in amazment.  
  
"We were born soldiers," they said in unison, "to protect our single precious person!"  
  
Ace handed Sailor V the script to 'The Chinese Princess Story'. "Shall we film the climax?"   
he asked. "The scene where the princess, an abandoned child who has lost her memory, is   
taken to her homeland. From your line, Princess."  
  
Sailor V read the script. "This is my true land?" she asked in bewilderment.  
  
"No," he told her. "The land you loved, the people you loved, are no more." He took her in   
his arms. "They were destroyed by the enemy."  
  
"How do you know this?" Masked Knight demanded fiercely.  
  
"Stop it!" Sailor V shouted as she moved away from him. "Ace! Just who are you!? How did   
you know Ryo-kun was born of Jupiter and I was born of Venus?!?"  
  
He took off his mask, and looked into her eyes. "I am Adonis," he stated simply. The mark   
of Venus suddenly shined brightly on his forehead.  
  
"NANI?!?" Masked Knight exclaimed in total shock.  
  
"I burn with passion for you," Ace continued. "We were supposed to love one another. I am   
your mystical lover."  
  
'The sign of the guardian of the planet Venus!' Sailor V thought to herself. 'Is he also   
Venus's...?!?'  
  
"But you do not know me," he said wistfully. "In my previous life, I had no rank. I was a   
miserable soldier in a remote region. You lived in a palace overlooking Venus. The chosen   
strongest sailor soldier, shining brightly, with your partner, Sailor Knight, the most   
skilled fighter. Before long, for your mission, you went to the ruler of the solar system,   
the moon. That planet, radiating unsurpassed light. A planet eternally unreachable to us.   
Then, we were borrowed for the war taking place on the chief planet. By the soldiers under   
direct supervision of the Prince...."  
  
She could almost see it the visions. The young Adonis stood among Endymion's soldiers....  
  
Venus held Serenity in her arms as Knight stood protectively if front of them....  
  
"Finally meeting you...," he continued. "The lovely goddess of beauty and war...."  
  
He saw Venus staring dreamily into Kunzite's eyes....  
  
"That reminds me, you've been falling in love with people since way back then!"  
  
Behind her, Masked Knight snickered in amusement.  
  
"Hey now!" Sailor V huffed indignantly.   
  
Ace walked over to her and touched her face. "I knew then.... If I changed one wheel of   
fate, the two of us might fall in love...." He then stood back, almost regretfully.   
"But.... There is only one fate. I was born into this world again. And it seems I've been   
raised to the status where I can confront you." He raised a playing card to the sky. A   
field of electricity appeared. A sphere formed around him and another around Sailor V,   
separating them. Masked Knight was about to charge him when a third field appeared around   
him.  
  
"Please," he told him, "don't interrupt."  
  
"Chikuso...," Masked Knight growled as he stared fiercely at the electrical field in front   
of him, trying to figure out a way through it.  
  
"I believe you," Sailor V murmured as she tried to straighten out her thoughts. "But,   
haven't you always, always come and saved me, Ace?!?"  
  
"I will soon achieve domination of the whole world, of Earth!" he told her. "I am the   
soldier under the four Generals of the Dark Kingdom, Danburite!"  
  
"The Dark Kingdom!?" Masked Knight exclaimed in shock. 'The Dark Agency reborn?!?'  
  
"The four Generals!?" Sailor V repeated, also in shock.  
  
"And, Sailor Venus, you and Sailor Knight are my enemies!" He threw out a stream of playing   
cards at both Sailor V and Masked Knight.  
  
"Mina! Ryo-kun!" Artemis shouted warningly.  
  
Masked Knight could only slash at the cards, easily slicing them up. Sailor V jumped at Ace   
and knocked him back with a beam of light.  
  
'Yes...,' he thought as a sense of understanding came to him.  
  
"Ace!!!" Sailor V called out as she rushed to him.  
  
"There is only one fate...," he murmured weakly as he fell over the ledge of the roof. "My   
path ends without ever reaching you.... That is my fate...."  
  
Sailor V lunged out ans grabbed ahold of his hand, just barely holding him up from the   
roof. "Is your fate to defeat the ones you've fallen in love with?" Sailor V asked.  
  
Behind her, Masked Knight rushed forward, painfully breaking through the electrical field   
and began to run over to her. "I'm coming, Venus!"  
  
Ace threw a card to her. "The ace of hearts?" she asked as she caught and examined it. It   
then tore apart before her eyes as Masked Knight reached them and grabbed ahold of Ace's   
other arm.  
  
"I'm still unsure of you, though," he told Ace, who merely nodded as though he expected it.  
  
"I'll tell your final love fortune," he told her. "Your love will be hopeless for all   
eternity."  
  
She stared at him, eyes wide. At the same time, Masked Knight frowned angrily. "What are   
you talking about?"  
  
"What's wrong?" he asked with a faint smile. "You should look happier. Now you can go on   
living, without having to torment yourself over the ultimate choice, your love or your   
duty. Your fate is to continue fighting. Continue to fight, along with your partner, Sailor   
Knight. Continue to fight, forever." His body slowly began to disintegrate as they tried to   
hold onto him. "Your true battle begins now...."  
  
Artemis slowly approached them. "Mina...? Ryo-kun...?" he asked cautiously.  
  
Tears drop from Sailor V's face as she cried into Masked Knight's shoulder. "Our selves   
before now have all been before awakening," she told him. "A temporary form, for our true   
mission."  
  
"Yes," Masked Knight agreed softly, as he comforted her. "And we will no longer have to   
face it alone."  
  
They gets to their knees and looked out over the ledge. "We must search for our precious   
allies. They're in Tokyo. I feel it," Sailor V said.  
  
"As do I," Masked Knight added.  
  
"Perhaps we are awakening now," she reasoned.  
  
"Yes," Artemis said quietly. "You are. You both are."  
  
"Together, we will defeat the Dark Kingdom and protect this planet!" Masked Knight stated   
firmly.  
  
"Then, we must find that most precious person," Sailor V added. "That is why we were born."  
  
**********************************************  
  
After a long trip, they arrived in Japan at Narita Airport. "I still hate planes!" Ryoku   
muttered a little unsteadily.  
  
"However...," Minako said "that was a dramatic trip abroad. But I didn't get one souvenir!   
But there's nothing I can do. I'm broke, as always, and it was a free trip."  
  
"You have lots of souvenirs, Mina!" Artemis replied. "You and Ryoku have the memory of your   
previous lives back, and you discovered the true identity of the enemy! And most   
importantly, you've both returned fully realized sailor soldiers!"  
  
"That's great, Mina!" Boss' voice says from her pen as they boarded the train.  
  
"But still, Boss, Artemis," Minako interjected, "how are we supposed to find these allies?"  
  
"You said you felt them, Mina!" Artemis told her.  
  
"Right!" Minako retorted. "It was just a feeling!"  
  
"Funny...," Ryoku added thoughtfully, "I think I felt them, too...."  
  
A raven-haired girl with violet eyes looked over at them. "Wow...," she thought to herself.   
"Bringing a cat inside a train...."  
  
The train slowed to a halt. "Tokyo," the announcer said loudly. "Tokyo."  
  
The dark-haired girl stepped off the train, while taking one last look at them.   
'Strange.... Do I... know them? No, I don't think so.'  
  
"This will be hard with just you and Ryo-kun," Minako said to Artemis. "We should get some   
backup. I need collaboration!"  
  
"And information!" Artemis added.  
  
"And lots of planning," Ryoku added.  
  
"Right, right," Boss agreed.  
  
"And while I'm at it, funds!" Minako said as she and Ryoku stepped off the train, with   
Artemis riding in Ryoku's arms. "We should take advantage of being soldiers of justice,   
Ryo-kun!"  
  
"Nan da?" Ryoku asked, puzzled. Realization and dread suddenly hit at the same time.   
"No.... You don't mean...?"  
  
"Didn't Natsuna-oneesan say we could get a nice salary?" she suggested.  
  
"What?" Artemis asked.  
  
"Not that woman who calls every week!" Ryoku pleaded. "Are you really serious, Minako-chan?"  
  
"I'm going to home and call her, and tell her we're going to get part-time jobs with the   
superintendent general!"  
  
"What?!?"  
  
Ryoku sighed defeatedly. "If that's you want, Minako-chan...."  
  
Minako ran out into the street with a smile as Ryoku followed her, while Artemis demanded   
to know what she was talking about.  
  
'Anou.... From soldier of justice to civil servant of justice.... Mako-chan, see how hard   
your oniichan works for his partner....  
  
'Why me...?'  
  
**********************************************  
  
Disclaimer: All original materials belong to their respective owners. Sailor Moon belongs   
to Naoko Takeuchi and a bunch of big companies. No copyright infringement is intended. This   
story belongs me, so I would appreciate it very much if you would ask for permission before   
posting it anywhere else. Thank you.  
  
The Question and all stories included are:  
Copyright © July 6, 2001 Jason C. Ulloa.   
Manga translation by Alex Glover © 1996  
All Rights Reserved. 


	12. Chapter 11

Alone No More: Minako's Story  
by Jason C. Ulloa  
  
  
Chapter 11  
  
"You gotta be kidding me...."  
  
"Really, Natsuna-oneesan, do we have to...?"  
  
Natsuna held up a pair of specially made police uniforms for them. They looked like a cross   
between Minako's and Ryoku's usual fukus, and the regular police uniform. Made by a   
professional designer, it might've been fashionable, but since Natsuna made them herself....  
  
"You... don't like them?" she asked hurtfully.  
  
"The embroidered names are a nice touch...," Ryoku said consolingly, "...but, you didn't   
have to go through all this trouble, Natsuna-san."  
  
"Yeah," Minako added quickly. "We have our own uniforms, remember? We don't really need new   
ones."  
  
"But, you're working with the police now, right?" Natsuna replied with a disappointed   
frown. "How will we be able to make that fact known without proper uniforms?" She then   
turned to the white cat sitting on the windowsill in her office. "What about you? Do you   
have any ideas?"  
  
Artemis blinked. He didn't really expect to be part of the conversation. Minako had   
volunteered herself and Ryoku, but there was no mention of himself being part of the   
package, so he just came to make sure that Minako didn't forget her duties as a soldier of   
justice. That, and since it was so high up, the sun was warmer from the window in Natsuna's   
office....  
  
"Badges, maybe?" he yawned as he stretched. 'I wouldn't mind letting Mina and Ryoku work   
for the police if I could just lie here all day....'  
  
Natsuna grinned. She still found the fact that Artemis could talk very fascinating. At   
first he wouldn't talk at all, but he changed his mind once she gave him exception to the   
'No Animals' policy the building had. She knew he was grateful for the windowsill perch.  
  
"Hmm...," she said thoughtfully as she put away the fukus. "Not a bad idea." Both Minako   
and Ryoku sighed in relief. "Okay! Let's go get you two some badges. Follow me."  
  
"Anou...," Ryoku began, "...would you mind if Minako-chan and I transform first? I mean,   
you and Wakagi-san already know of our identities, but everybody else doesn't. How would it   
look if we came out as us, after we came in as Sailor V and Masked Knight?"  
  
"Good point," she replied, nodding.  
  
"Moon Power Transform!"  
  
"Star Sword Power Transform!"  
  
Natsuna sighed in contentment. She'd never get tired of seeing that. It was so exciting!   
Sailor V and Masked Knight, transforming before her eyes! What an honor! "Now, let's go   
find you two some badges."  
  
Artemis watched them leave from the windowsill. "Take your time," he yawned as he stretched   
lazily and settled back down for a short nap.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Defeated?" the figure in the darkness bellowed angrily. "What do you mean, defeated?!?"  
  
"Danburite is no more, my Queen," the lowly figure reported in a cowed voice as he bowed   
with his face to the ground. "Only myself and a few others are what is left of the Dark   
Agency, due to Sailor V and Masked Knight."  
  
The figure in darkness growled. The energy collected so far was hardly enough, and they   
were not yet ready to initiate their more grander plans. For now, the now defunct Dark   
Agency was their only link to collecting energy. The Dark Kingdom was not yet ready to make   
their first move.  
  
"Perhaps we need to try to collect energy far away from our main base of operations," the   
figure said quietly. "This way, those two annoyances will not hamper our plans. Somewhere   
on the other side of this planet should be adequate," the figure continued. "This place." A   
projection appeared over the figure.  
  
"Ah, yes," the bowed figure said as he looked up. "I've heard of that place. The humans   
call the place by two names: Great Britain or England. The capital city is called London."  
  
"London," the dark figure repeated thoughtfully. "Yes. That will do. Go to this London and   
continue to gather energy from the humans. Sailor V and Masked Knight should not bother you   
and the others there, Quartzite."  
  
"Yes, Queen Beryl," the bowed figure repeated, then disappeared.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Okay, Ryo-kun, I think that'll do it for today," Minako said as she changed back from her   
Sailor V form.  
  
Ryoku followed suit as he changed back from being Masked Knight and followed Minako out of   
police headquarters. "Four weeks," he said quietly.  
  
"Eh?" she asked as she glanced back at him. "What'd you say, Ryo-kun?"  
  
"I said, four weeks," he replied as he hurried up to walk beside her. "It's been four weeks   
since we've started to work for the police and we're no closer to finding our unknown   
allies than before. Are we actually going to start looking sometime soon?"  
  
Minako frowned as she looked back down the street. "It's not like we haven't looked," she   
replied.  
  
"You mean, Artemis looks for our allies from the command center while we play Tokyo's   
finest," he replied dryly, then sighed. "Not that I'm complaining about the part-time job,   
but shouldn't we be trying a little harder to find our allies? Remember what Danburite said   
about the Dark Kingdom?"  
  
Minako flinched at the name. Ryoku absolutely refused to call him by the name Kaitou Ace;   
probably because that was the name he used when he was trying to lure her away from him.   
She was still uncertain if the main reason behind his despising him was concern for her, or   
jealousy over her. Still, the fact that he felt that strongly about her made her feel   
special.  
  
"Okay, Ryo-kun," she relented tiredly. "If you're that concerned about it, we'll stop by   
the command center. Maybe Artemis or Boss has something for us."  
  
Ryoku nodded silently as a thought came to him. "It's strange, though...."  
  
"What's strange?" she asked as she turned to look at him.  
  
"Boss," he replied as they started toward the command center. "She's been quiet lately,   
hasn't she? I don't remember hearing from her since we dealt with Danburite."  
  
"Now that you mention it...," she began in thoughtful agreement, then trailed off. "Why do   
you think she's so quiet lately?"  
  
"I wish I knew, Minako-chan," he replied with a worried frown. "I have a bad feeling about   
it, though... and if we do find out, I think we won't like the reason why...."  
  
**********************************************  
  
Artemis was busy scanning the city again. Surely one of their allies would've been detected   
by now; Luna would've found some of them by now....  
  
"Actually, Artemis," Boss' voice said from the main monitor, "she has already found one of   
them."  
  
The white cat blinked in surprise. One, he hadn't realized he had spoken his thoughts   
aloud. Two, Boss had been quiet for such a long time that he was starting to wonder if she   
had suddenly decided to let them on their own without so much as a goodbye. And finally....  
  
"What was that, Boss?" he asked in astonishment. "Luna has actually found the first Sailor   
Senshi?"  
  
"Yes," she replied. "Sailor Moon."  
  
"Why haven't you told us about this?!?" he exclaimed. "We've been searching for any one of   
them for a month!"  
  
"There is a reason for this," she replied. "I don't want you to tell Venus or Knight about   
this, Artemis. Those two are currently preparing for something very important."  
  
"Important?"  
  
"Yes. Sailor Moon is currently battling the first wave of the Dark Kingdom," she explained.   
"If Sailor Venus and Sailor Knight were to join her, it would help her tremendously, due to   
their experience. However, there is a more pressing matter at hand.  
  
"On the other side of the world, in London, England, the last remnants of the Dark Agency   
are currently in operation. They are supplying energy to their parent foundation, the Dark   
Kingdom. If left unchecked, they could build up the Dark Kingdom so rapidly that Sailor   
Moon and the rest of the Sailor Senshi would be overwhelmed within weeks, even with the aid   
of Venus and Knight.  
  
"The reason I've been silent lately is because I've been in contact with Luna for the past   
month," Boss explained. "However, my time is growing short and soon, I will no longer be   
able to speak with either of you."  
  
"Nani?!?" Artemis gasped in shock. "You... you won't be able to help us anymore? Why?"  
  
"My power to speak with you across space and time is fading," Boss explained. "I will need   
you to take over for me then. You've had more experience with the Dark Agency, but Luna has   
more experience in training the Sailor Senshi. I want you to help her by handling   
reconnaissance. Keep tabs on the Dark Kingdom until Sailor Venus and Sailor Knight are   
ready to join them. You will know when the time is right."  
  
Artemis nodded. "So, you want Mina, Ryo-kun, and I to go to England and take care of the   
rest of the Dark Agency?"  
  
"No. Just Mina and Ryoku."  
  
"Why not me?" Artemis asked. "They'll need me!"  
  
"Luna will need your help more," she replied. "Time is growing short. You will need to make   
preparations for Mina and Ryoku to travel to London. They may need to stay for a prolonged   
period of time, so you might want to consider making them exchange students."  
  
Artemis nodded quietly. It would be a long time away from his partners and friends, but   
maybe Boss had the right of it. Besides, it would do Mina some good to be on her own.   
Besides, she always had Ryoku to back her up, should she need it. That's what partners were   
for, anyway.  
  
On the monitor, a picture of a silver-haired figure suddenly faded into view. The image was   
considerable fuzzy, but the hairstyle and crown was distinct. It was then that he finally   
recognized the face that went with the familiar voice.  
  
"This will be my last transmission to you, Artemis. Please, do not reveal my identity to   
either Mina or Ryoku. They will find out in due time. On behalf of the Moon, may good   
fortune be with you and the Sailor Senshi. Farewell."  
  
Artemis bowed his head. "It was good to see you one last time, Queen Serenity," he replied   
in a slightly choked voice as he fought back a tear. "Farewell, Your Majesty."  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Gone?!?" Minako and Ryoku exclaimed simultaneously after Artemis had explained. The whole   
thing to them.  
  
"I'm afraid so," he replied calmly.  
  
"But, at least we know that the Dark Agency isn't completely gone," Ryoku added. "We have   
to finish the job we started."  
  
"We're going to England!" Minako exclaimed in excitement. "We're so lucky, aren't we,   
Ryo-kun? We get to go to distant places, like Hawaii, Greece, China, and England!"  
  
"Anou.... You never went to Hawaii, and only you went to Greece, Minako-chan," he corrected.  
  
"Oh, don't be such a spoilsport, Ryo-kun!" she told him. "The point is that we get to   
travel together again! The three of us are going to London!"  
  
"Actually," Artemis cut in, "only you two are going."  
  
"Nani?" they exclaimed again in unison. "Why just us?"  
  
"I need to stay here and continue to search for our allies," he told them. "As you two   
fight the Dark Agency, they will be fighting the first wave of the Dark Kingdom. Your job   
will be crucial, since they won't be as experienced as you two. Only you two can finish the   
Dark Agency."  
  
"Minako-chan and I will take care of it," Ryoku replied confidently.  
  
"Right!" Minako agreed. "Leave it in our hands! The Dark Agency can't beat us, the soldiers   
of justice! Sailor V!"  
  
"Masked Knight!"  
  
Artemis sweatdropped. 'Well, at least they're mentally prepared....'  
  
"At any rate," the white cat continued, "you two are now officially transferred to one of   
the junior highs in London as exchange students. I have the addresses. I also spoke with   
Natsuna, and she's agreed - reluctantly, though - to transfer you to a police department in   
downtown London, under your secret identities, of course."  
  
"Of course," Ryoku said flatly. 'Oh boy. More policework. Oh, well... at least it'll be a   
change of pace. It'd be nice to work on my English.'  
  
"So, when do we leave?" Minako asked eagerly.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Exchange students?" Minako's mother said in surprise. "I don't remember hearing anything   
about you becoming an exchange student." She then glanced over at Ryoku. "And Ryoku-san,   
too?"  
  
"Well, I figured it sounded interesting," Ryoku replied. "Besides, I thought if Minako-chan   
was going to go to a foriegn country, she might want a good friend to go with her so she   
wouldn't be lonely."  
  
"That's so nice of you, Ryoku-san," she said with a smile. "So, where did you two say you   
were going?"  
  
"London, England!" Minako said excitedly.  
  
"Oh!" her mother said in surprise. "Then, you're going to have to study English even   
harder, Mina. After all, that is the country's official language, isn't it?"  
  
Minako gulped audibly. 'Oh... I almost forgot about that....'  
  
"We've been studying extra hard for this," Ryoku stated. "Besides, the person we're staying   
with is also fluent in Japanese, so he'll be able to help us learn the language better."  
  
"That's nice. So, what's the man's name, and do you have the address where you two will be   
staying?"  
  
Minako handed her mother a sheet of paper with the address written on it. "The guy's name   
is Alan Nelson."  
  
Her mother sighed as she went over to hug her daughter. "So, you'll be gone for a few   
months, Mina? Promise that you'll write often and call home when you can."  
  
"I will," she answered, squeezing her mother tightly. Ryoku watched them and sighed   
inwardly. He missed hugging his own mother. He would have to let Mako-chan know about his   
going to England. She'd take it hard, but she'd understand. Maybe it would help he brought   
Minako to meet his sister. After all, she'd only heard about her from him. The last time he   
visited, she had asked him to at least bring a picture when he next visited. He figured   
he'd bring something better.  
  
"Ryoku-san," Minako's mother said as she suddenly hugged him as well, surprising him, "Mina   
has told me before about your parents being dead. I just wanted to tell you that, if you   
want, you can write to us as well, as if we were your parents, too, and that we'd write   
back."  
  
"Arigatou gozaimasu," Ryoku murmured quietly as he slowly hugged her back. He didn't know   
what to say, really. It was almost as if she knew what he was thinking when she suddenly   
hugged him. 'Then again,' he thought as he was released from the hug, 'aren't mothers   
supposed to be able to do that? I know she's not my mother, but still....'  
  
"Minako-chan," Ryoku said later, when he started to leave for his apartment, "can I ask you   
something?"  
  
"If it's about what my mother did, I'm just as surprised as you," she told him. "I told her   
about your parents a long time ago. I wonder why she just now brought it up...."  
  
"No, it's not about that," he replied. "I'm going to see my sister before we leave. Do you   
want to come with me when I go?"  
  
"You mean, you want me to meet your sister?" she asked in delighted surprise. "I'd love to,   
Ryo-kun! When're you going?"  
  
"Tomorrow morning," he replied. "It's on a Saturday, so we don't have school or work to do,   
then. Meet me at the train station at around 8:30am. Don't worry about the train tickets;   
I'll pay for them."  
  
"Hontou ni?" she said, grabbing his shoulders in excitement and shaking them. "All right!"  
  
"All right, already!" he gasped as she shook him a little too hard. "Oi!!!"  
  
"Eh? Ah! Gomen nasai, Ryo-kun!"  
  
"Ite.... Now, I have a headache...."  
  
**********************************************  
  
"So, your imoutou-chan lives at a boarding school?" Minako asked as the train started.   
  
"Hai, it was the one where I was transfered from a while back," Ryoku replied as he settled   
back into his seat. Minako sat across from him and settled back as well. Train rides were   
very comfortable - if it wasn't crowded - and she sometimes wondered which was better,   
watching the scenery go by out the train window, or letting the rythym of the train's   
wheels against the rails slowly put her to sleep.  
  
Right now, it was Ryoku who had her full attention.  
  
"She's been trying her hardest to find a way to get transfered here with me, but so far she   
hasn't been having very much luck."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"My sister has a similar, if lesser, reputation for getting into fights at school," he   
explained. "Well, I had the habit of stepping into fights were someone was picking on   
another one smaller and... well, you get the idea. Anyway, what got me kicked out was when   
some guy thought he could take advantage of my sister's tendancies to fall for cute guys   
quickly... not unlike somebody I know."  
  
"Hey!" Minako exclaimed indignantly.  
  
Ryoku smirked at her outburst, then continued. "Anyway, my sister really let the guy have   
it! I only broke the guy's nose, but she broke his right arm and jaw! Of course, being the   
protective older brother, I took full blame for everything. And here I am."  
  
Minako sweatdropped. "She... broke his arm and jaw?"  
  
"Hai!" he said proudly. "She's a very strong girl. In fact, I'd say she's the strongest   
girl at the whole school! Even stronger than some guys!" he added with a laugh.  
  
"Anyway, she's also very nice," he added. "Not to mention, that she's practically a gourmet   
chef. Almost all of my cooking skills were learned from her."  
  
"She sounds like a very interesting person," she said with a slight grin.  
  
"I think you'll like her," he said as he leaned to the side and closed his eyes. "I'm   
getting sleepy. I'm gonna take a nap. Wake me when we get there, would you, Minako-chan?"  
  
"Of course, Ryo-kun," she agreed as she looked out the window. 'I'm finally going to meet   
his sister, the last of his living family,' she thought as she watched the scenery fly   
past, left behind as they traveled. 'But, I wonder if she'll like me....'  
  
**********************************************  
  
Minako was growing tired of walking. They've been walking for about an hour already and   
Ryoku was now just ignoring her questions of "Are we there, yet?"  
  
"We're almost there now, Minako-chan," he said after he turned down one street and stopped.  
  
"Really?" she asked in a very relieved voice. "I was getting so tired of walking! Where is   
it?"  
  
He pointed down the street toward a large building near the end of the city. Minako gasped   
in awe as she saw it. It was built to look like a school, but it was much bigger. What   
really caught her attention was the fact that while one side faced the city, the other had   
a beautiful view of the green landscapes she was used to seeing on the train.  
  
"Sugoi!" she breathed in awe. "It's like looking out into the countryside, ne?"  
  
He nodded with a soft grin. "Sometimes it can feel that way," he agreed. "It's an   
interesting contrast; rural on one side and urban on the other. The countryside and the   
city. Beautiful greenery by day, and the glittering, luminescent city lights by night."  
  
"It sounds so wonderful," she sighed in admiration. "Almost makes me wish I could go there."  
  
"You are going there," he said with a smirk. "I'm bringing you, remember?"  
  
Minako playfully hit him in his arm. "You know what I mean, Ryo-kun."  
  
Ryoku made a show of favoring his arm where she hit him. "Well, we'd better get going. I   
wouldn't want to keep Mako-chan waiting."  
  
At the entrance of the boarding school, Ryoku walked into the front office and beckoned   
Minako to follow behind him. "Kino-kun," the woman behind the desk closest to the entrance   
said with a formal greeting.  
  
"Watanabe-san," he greeted back with a slight, but respectful bow.  
  
"If you would please wait right here, Kino-kun," Watanabe replied with a slight frown as   
she stood up and walked out of the room.  
  
"What's with her?" Minako asked curiously.  
  
"She doesn't like me," he replied with a slight frown. "I don't blame her, though. Remember   
the guy I told you about; the one with the broken jaw?" She nodded. "She's his mother."  
  
"Oh...," she replied understandingly.  
  
"Attention," Watanabe's voice blared over the public address system. "Kino Makoto, please   
come to the front office. You have visitors. I repeat, Kino Makoto, please come to the   
front office. You have visitors."  
  
"Come with me," Ryoku said as he headed back out the door.  
  
"Where're we going?" Minako asked as she followed him out the door.  
  
"To meet Mako-chan halfway," he replied as he turned to the left and started walking. "Any   
time, now...," he murmured half to himself. "She should be leaving the female quarters by   
now. Down the stairs to the first floor." Minako blinked as she saw Ryoku starting to run.   
His expression was starting to look... expectant.  
  
"Five...," he said in a louder voice as he ran, "...four... three... two... one... now!"  
  
On 'now', a door practically burst open as a tall brunette girl dashed out, whirled in   
their direction, and started running toward them... or rather, directly at Ryoku. Although   
the distance between the two was closing rapidly, neither one was slowing. Just before   
collision was imminent, the girl leaped at Ryoku, who caught her in midair, and was now   
spinning in place while he smiled up at her. The happy tableau continued for a little while   
until he put her down and turned to face Minako with an arm around the girl's shoulder.  
  
"Minako-chan, meet Kino Makoto," Ryoku stated happily. "My imouto-chan. Mako-chan, meet   
Aino Minako."  
  
"Ah, so you're the friend Ryo-chan has told me so much about," Makoto said with a smile,   
her green eyes showing approval.  
  
Minako blinked in surprise. She knew that they were related, but seeing the two of them   
together made it unmistakable. They had similar facial features, similar hair color... they   
were even the same height! "And you're Ryo-kun's younger sister? It's so nice to meet you!"  
  
"I suppose I should be honored by your visit," Makoto said in an amused tone of voice.   
"After all, you have come out of your way just to say hi."  
  
Minako laughed in chagrin as she put her hand behind her head. "Yeah, well, I thought that   
since Ryo-kun and I were going to be in London together...."  
  
"You'd figure that since Ryo-chan's gotten your mother's blessings, then you might as   
well have mine, ne?" she finished knowingly, then laughed as she noticed Minako's   
expression. "Ryo-chan had already told me last night that you'd be coming with him. He also   
told me about what happened at your house with your mother." She then elbowed her brother   
slyly in the side. "Her parents like you! Way to go, Ryo-chan!"  
  
Ryoku rolled his eyes and sighed in chagrin while Minako blushed. "Come on, Mako-chan.   
You're making Minako-chan uncomfortable. Quit teasing."  
  
"Aww," Makoto pouted in feigned disappointment, then grinned as she put an arm around   
Minako. "Come on, then. What are we standing around here for? I wanna give you a tour of   
the place! Ryo-chan, would you mind if we girls got to know each other by ourselves?"  
  
"As long as you don't say anything about me that's too embarrassing," he replied. "I can   
always go talk with my old friends from here. Go on and enjoy yourselves. I'll meet with   
you two later."  
  
**********************************************  
  
It was easy for Minako to talk with Makoto; especially since she was treating her as if   
they'd been friends for years instead of just minutes. Minako being Minako, and Makoto   
being Makoto, the conversation quickly fell to a topic very dear to both their   
hearts....  
  
Boys. In particular, Ryoku.  
  
"I wish I had a picture to show you, Mako-chan!" Minako gasped as she laughed.  
  
Makoto was also laughing very hard. "I still can't believe that you actually got him to   
do it!" she gasped as she wiped away a tear from her right eye. "I would've never   
figured that Ryo-chan would ever dress like a girl, even for a bet!"  
  
Minako grinned. Sure, Makoto had said that she wouldn't tell her anything too embarrassing   
about her brother, but that didn't stop her from telling his sister any embarrassing   
stories about him. The only thing was, the best stories she had of him were when he was   
either Masked Knight, or when he was disguised with her compact. She was right now telling   
her about the time when she and Ryoku had entered that competition that would later have   
her going to China. She had altered the story so that he had entered only because of a bet.   
Still, that didn't stop her from telling her about all of the embarrassing details... well,   
embarrassing to Ryoku.  
  
"Hai!" she added. "He sure was cute, though. Kawaii Ryoku-chan!" she said laughingly. That   
caused Makoto to start laughing again.  
  
"Ara!" she gasped. "I not only have an oniichan, I have a oneechan, too!" Both girls began   
to crack up in earnest.  
  
**********************************************  
  
'I hope that Minako remembers not to tell Mako-chan anything about me being Masked Knight,'   
he thought to himself as he glanced over toward the female quarters. From his position in   
the commons area, he could see them... both in fits of hysterical laughter. He sighed to   
himself in chagrin as he realized that he had asked Makoto not to humiliate him, but he had   
neglected to request the same of Minako.  
  
'Minako-chan....' he thought with a mental sigh.  
  
**********************************************  
  
After the laughter and the jokes at Ryoku's expense ended, Minako began to feel closer to   
Makoto. After all, Ryoku was someone very important to them, and it served as a common link   
between them.  
  
"Mako-chan, there's something I've been meaning to ask you about Ryo-kun," Minako began.  
  
"What is it?" Makoto asked.  
  
"It's about the way Ryo-kun speaks sometimes...."  
  
"You mean how he sometimes talks like a girl?" Makoto prompted.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Well... in a way... I suppose it's my fault. Minako-chan, can I ask you something   
important?" she asked, suddenly turning serious.  
  
Minako's grin slowly faded. "What is it, Mako-chan?"  
  
"Don't take this the wrong way, please," she asked warningly. "You like Ryo-chan, ne?"  
  
Minako blinked. "Hai," she answered simply.  
  
"A lot?"  
  
"Hai. A lot." Minako looked at Makoto questioningly. "Why?"  
  
"Do you know how Ryo-chan feels about you?" she asked quietly.  
  
"About me?" she repeated curiously. "I'm his best friend and partner."  
  
Makoto nodded as if she already knew that. "That's true, but there's more to it that."  
  
"Nani yo?" Minako exclaimed. "Do you mean that... he... likes me?"  
  
"I wouldn't go that far, yet," Makoto said uncertainly. "But I do know that you've become   
very important to him. I can tell by the way he talks to me about you and by how he acts   
around you. I'm known the guy all my life; I can tell these things.  
  
"There's something I want to tell you about," she continued. "This is something that he   
probably wouldn't tell anyone, but I think you should know this. Just don't tell him that I   
told you, unless he specifically asks you about it, of course."  
  
Minako nodded. "I won't tell him."  
  
"This happened long before he left this school. He used to have a girlfriend while he   
stayed here, but she died a few months after they were together. It not only broke his   
heart, but it broke his spirit as well. He tried his best to save her life, but he   
ultimately failed.  
  
"For the longest time after that, he acted as though he had no will to live. It seemed to   
me that he was accusing himself of letting her die. I've had to keep a constant watch over   
him to keep him from doing something drastic, like killing himself.  
  
Minako gasped at what she was learning about her best friend. "How horrible...."  
  
"For a couple of years it was like that," Makoto continued. "I kept him at my side until he   
finally woke up from his period of self-accusation and guilt. During those years, he had   
been moving almost unconsciously, reacting to things instead of thinking about them.   
However, once he woke up, he was a completely different person. He became the Ryoku you now   
know. The strange thing was that now parts of his speech tend to sound like a girl's. I can   
only guess that it was because of the fact that I had always kept him at my side during   
those years when his mind was temporarily gone or something. His mind must've absorbed some   
of the words and phrases that mostly girls use, I suppose.  
  
"At any rate, after that all that, he refused to try to find another girlfriend. I think   
he's too afraid that history will repeat itself. It's not just that he won't look for   
another girlfriend; he won't even go out with the girls who try to ask him out. I've tried   
to convince him otherwise, but every time I've tried, he keeps remembering everything that   
happened to her and everything I've said gets thrown out the window.  
  
"The reason why I'm telling you all of this is because I know that he trusts you. He trusts   
you a lot. Maybe while you two are in London, you can help him overcome his problem."  
  
Minako nodded solemnly. "Leave it to me, Mako-chan!" she affirmed. "I'll get Ryo-kun to see   
the wonders of love again!"  
  
"I hope so," Makoto said with a grin. "I'd be eternally grateful to you. Now, before we   
became all serious, where were we? I think I've already told you the story of when Ryo-chan   
accidentally referred to himself as 'atashi', didn't I?"  
  
Minako giggled at that. "Oh, yeah! Then, he went around referring to himself as 'ore' for a   
solid week as if to make up for it." She laughed again. "I can just imagine it. Anyway, I   
think you were telling me about this cute guy that just enrolled who looks a lot like your   
long-lost senpai...."  
  
**********************************************  
  
Disclaimer: All original materials belong to their respective owners. Sailor Moon belongs   
to Naoko Takeuchi and a bunch of big companies. No copyright infringement is intended. This   
story belongs me, so I would appreciate it very much if you would ask for permission before   
posting it anywhere else. Thank you.  
  
The Question and all stories included are:  
Copyright © July 6, 2001 Jason C. Ulloa.   
All Rights Reserved. 


	13. Chapter 12

Alone No More: Minako's Story  
by Jason C. Ulloa  
  
  
Chapter 12  
  
"Wake up, Minako-chan," a soft voice called out to her as she slept.  
  
"Hmm...," she murmured as she rolled over in her bed. "Just five more minutes."  
  
"Wake up, Minako-chan," the soft voice repeated.  
  
"Come on, Ryo-kun, I said five more...." She paused as her brain finally registered the   
fact that it was Ryoku's voice she was hearing. 'Couldn't be....' She opened her eyes and   
found a pair of gray eyes staring back at her, filled with amusement.  
  
"So, the sleeping beauty finally wakes," he said with a soft chuckle.  
  
"What're you doing in my room, Ryo-kun?" she asked, staring curiously at him. He still   
hadn't moved from his previous position and she was now just noticing how close his face   
was to hers. He was so close that if she moved forward just a couple of centimeters, and   
tilted her head slightly, she could kiss him.  
  
Ryoku blinked at her and moved back slightly, almost as if he sensed what she was thinking.   
"Well, since today's the day, I figured that I'd come by a little early and give you a   
little wake-up call."  
  
She frowned as she sat up in her bed. "So early?" she asked. "Couldn't you have let me   
sleep a little longer...?"  
  
"Early?" he repeated with a smirk. "It's 10:00am right now."  
  
"Nani yo?" she said as she glanced toward her alarm clock. It was 10:00am, right on the   
dot. "Why didn't you wake me sooner!" she exclaimed as she leaped out of her bed and lunged   
for the clothes she had set out for today. "We only have three hours to catch our flight!"  
  
"Gomen, Minako-chan," he replied. "You looked so cute sleeping that I didn't want to wake   
you."  
  
Minako glanced at him over her shoulder and smiled. "Still, you should've woken me earlier.   
You have months to watch me sleep when we get to London." She turned forward and started to   
reach for the bottom of her pajama top, then paused. She still hadn't heard her door close   
yet, signaling that he had left to give her some privacy while she changed.  
  
'Oh, don't tell me he's gonna try to watch me change!' she thought with a frown as she   
started to turn around. 'Hentai! Partner or not, I will not allow him to watch me undress!'   
She started to open her mouth to say something to him, but stopped as she realized that she   
was alone. He had already left, but the door wasn't closed all the way. 'Oh, planning on   
peeping from outside, are we?' she thought as she marched toward her door and flung it   
open. Still no Ryoku.  
  
"Oi, Minako-chan!" Ryoku called out from his seat at the bottom of the stairs. "You're not   
planning on wearing those to the airport, are you?"  
  
"No, Ryo-kun," she replied. "I was just wondering where you went, that's all."  
  
He gave her a small smirk. "Why? Don't tell me you thought that I was gonna just stand   
there and watch you change?"  
  
She blushed slightly as she shook her head. "Of course not, Ryo-kun," she told him.  
  
Ryoku smiled knowingly as he stood up. "Right. Well, since we only have three hours until   
we leave Japan, could you please get dressed? While you're doing that, I'm going to go make   
you something to eat since breakfast was already served earlier."  
  
Minako smiled as she watched Ryoku leave the stairs and head for the kitchen to make   
breakfast for her. "Thanks, Ryo-kun," she said quietly as she headed back for her own room   
to change.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"I didn't know you knew how to cook, Ryoku-san," Minako's mother said as she watched him   
prepare Minako's breakfast.  
  
"I learned a lot from my imouto-chan," he replied over his shoulder without turning from   
what he was doing. "She's practically a master chef as it is."  
  
"You have a younger sister?" she asked. "But, I thought you lived alone."  
  
"I do. My sister lives at and attends a boarding school. I used to go there, but I was   
transfered for fighting."  
  
"Fighting?" she asked with slight disapproval.  
  
"I had to teach someone that he couldn't take advantage of my sister," Ryoku said in a   
level voice. "It was an effective lesson, but I still wish that I didn't have to do it."  
  
"I see," Minako's mother said with an understanding nod. "You're very protective of your   
sister?"  
  
"Un," he said with a nod. "We're the only family we have left. We've gotta take care of   
each other. I'd never let anyone hurt Mako-chan, and if they did, they would soon regret   
it. It's the same with anyone I care about." He turned to look directly at Minako's mother.   
"You won't have to worry about Minako while she's in London. I'll watch out for her. I   
promise."  
  
Minako's mother smiled at him. "You're a good young man, Ryoku-san," she said as she turned   
and left the kitchen, leaving him to finish preparing breakfast.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"I'm so excited!" Minako squealed eagerly as she and Ryoku rode the bus toward the airport.   
"Just think, soon we'll catch our plane to London, England! Think of all the sights we'll   
get to see!" Her excitement waned slightly when she noticed Ryoku's slightly pale   
expression. "Anou.... Ryo-kun, daijoubu?"  
  
"Daijoubu, Minako-chan," he replied as he smiled faintly.  
  
Minako frowned and shook her head. "Iie. Something's wrong, Ryo-kun. What is it?" Her frown   
softened to one of concern as she turned to look at him. "You can tell me. What's wrong?"  
  
"I'm okay," he insisted. "I'm just a little nervous about flying on that jet."  
  
"Nervous?" she asked as her head tilted inquisitively. "You? Why's that, Ryo-kun?"  
  
Ryoku frowned slightly as he considered the girl sitting next to him. "I never did tell you   
how my parents died, did I?"  
  
Minako's expression turned sympathetic. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to...."  
  
"Now, that's all right, Minako-chan," he replied with a sad smile as he shook his head. "It   
was about six or seven years ago. My parents were just about to come back from their second   
honeymoon. They were flying back to Tokyo from spending a week in Paris, France. Mako-chan   
and I were staying at our grandfather's house while they were gone; that way, they didn't   
have to worry about us.  
  
"On their way back, something went wrong. From what we were told, their plane hit some   
rough turbulence above the Himalayan mountains after they had a layover in New Delhi,   
India. Apparently, the rough shaking damaged their altimeter somehow, so the pilot had no   
idea of how high he was, or if the plane had lost some altitude from the turbulence.  
  
"Anyway, since the clouds were so dense, the pilots had no idea that they were in any   
danger... that is, until they saw the mountains just a few kilometers ahead of them." Ryoku   
paused for a moment and sighed sadly. "Moments later, the plane crashed into the   
Himalayans with no survivors."  
  
Minako took one of Ryoku's hands consolingly in hers. "How awful...," she whispered sadly.  
  
"Hai, it was devastating for us," Ryoku continued. "It was even worse for our grandfather.   
He was so hurt by the loss of his only daughter and her husband that his heart gave out the   
next night. As Mako-chan and I slept, he passed on in his sleep. From that point on, we   
were officially orphaned.  
  
"Lucky for us, one of our father's old friends volunteered to look after us, so we didn't   
have to go to an orphanage. However, he never really tried to raise us; he just took us in   
just to pay back a debt he owed to our father. It was up to me to look after Mako-chan,   
which I did as best I could." Ryoku paused for a second, then grinned wistfully. "Then   
again, now that I think about it, maybe it was more Mako-chan and I taking care of each   
other, rather than just me taking care of her.  
  
"Anyway, that's my story," he finished. "Ever since the plane crash took our parents from   
us, Mako-chan and I have never been able to get ourselves to ride planes." He paused for a   
moment in thought. "Well, I guess that's not exactly true anymore. I was able to force   
myself to ride that plane with you to China, but that was because you had to go in order to   
take care of... business. I knew that I had to be by your side as your partner." He turned   
to stare straight ahead at nothing in particular. "I guess when you get right down to it,   
if I had to, I'd do almost anything just for you, Minako-chan. We're partners, and that's   
how it should be."  
  
"Ryo-kun...," Minako said quietly as she stared at him in amazement, then turned to stare   
out the window. This was going to be her last chance to look at her home before it was time   
to go to England.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Hey, Ryo-kun," Minako called out as she hefted her backpack over her shoulders, "can you   
see when our flight is leaving?"  
  
"I'm checking now, Minako-chan," he replied as he scanned the huge display of flight   
numbers, gates, and times. "Okay, there's the airline we're taking. Now, where's our   
flight... NANI?!?"  
  
"What is it, Ryo-kun...?" she started to ask before Ryoku hurredly snatched up his   
suitcase, grabbed her arm and started dragging her along as he started running.  
  
"We have to hurry!" he shouted without looking back. "Our plane is now boarding!"  
  
"Boarding!!!" she shrieked as Ryoku swiftly dodged one traveler after another, dragging   
Minako after him as she tried to keep up.  
  
"Oi, slow down, Ryo-kun!" she gasped as she almost tripped again. Her backpack was throwing   
off her balance and interfering with her running.  
  
He stopped as he glanced toward a huge wall clock hanging on the wall overhead. "We'll   
never make it at this rate," he muttered to himself as he glanced consideringly at Minako.   
"Unless...."  
  
There was a look to Ryoku's expression that made her suspicious. "Ryo-kun, what are you   
thinking...?"  
  
"Here, hold this for a moment," he requested, holding his suitcase out to her.  
  
"What for?" she asked, looking at him warily.  
  
"Trust me."  
  
"All right...," she relented as she took his suitcase. As soon as she was holding his   
suitcase, he quickly scooped her up in his arms and started running as fast as he could.  
  
"Ryo-kun!!!" she all but screamed as he carried her through the airport.  
  
"Hold on to the suitcases, Minako-chan," Ryoku warned as he ran. "And don't worry. I won't   
drop you and I won't fall. I'll get us to our plane in time."  
  
Minako quickly wrapped one of her arms around Ryoku's neck, being careful not to   
accidentaly hit him with the suitcase in her hand, and held onto him as tightly as she   
could. 'Ryo-kun no bakayarou...,' she thought to herself as she let herself be carried   
through the airport. 'Still, there's something almost... romantic about being carried in   
Ryo-kun's arms like this.' A small smile curved her lips as she looked up at him. He was so   
intent on getting to the terminal on time without falling that he didn't notice her looking   
up at him.  
  
Ryoku slowly came to a stop and grinned as he tried to catch his breath. "We... made it...,   
Minako-chan," he panted as he looked down at her, then put her down.  
  
"Aww, Ryo-kun...," she pouted quietly to herself. "Why'd you have to put me down? I was   
just enjoying it...."  
  
"You say something, Minako-chan?" he asked.  
  
"Eh?" she gasped as she realized that she said those words aloud. "Anou... nothing,   
Ryo-kun. It was nothing."  
  
"Oh," he replied as he retrieved his suitcase from her. "Well... let's go... board...   
that... plane."  
  
She could tell from the nervous look he was trying so hard to hide that he was still   
nervous about flying. She could understand; after all, the trip to China wasn't nearly as   
long as this one was going to be. Besides, this time she knew that Ryo-kun had a slight   
fear of flying, while before she was too excited about flying to China and seeing Kaitou   
Ace again that she didn't notice. This time, she was going to have to help her partner get   
through this trip without letting his fears take over him. He was strong, but strong wills   
sometimes have their weaknesses. It was up to her to help Ryo-kun fight his fears.  
  
Minako walked up to Ryoku and took his hand in hers. "I'm here with you, Ryo-kun. We'll get   
through this... together."  
  
"Hai," he said with a uneasy nod. "Together."  
  
"Let's get going, Ryo-kun," she said as they both handed in their plane tickets.  
  
"Ah, I see you two have just made it on time," the woman behind the counter said as she   
typed away on her computer. "Okay, Aino Minako... seat 26-E. Kino Ryoku... seat 26-F." The   
woman smiled as she handed them back their ticket stubs, then winked at Ryoku. "You're   
very fortunate, Kino-san. You get the window seat; however, I don't think that they'd mind   
if you let your girlfriend have the window seat instead."  
  
"Eh?" both Minako and Ryoku said at once.  
  
"Anou.... Hai, I think I'll do just that," Ryoku replied just as Minako was about to tell   
the woman that Ryoku wasn't her boyfriend.  
  
"That's nice of you," the woman said as they headed through the doorway leading to the   
plane.  
  
Minako was so surprised that she didn't say anything until she sat down at her seat, or   
rather Ryoku's seat. "Ryo-kun, why didn't you tell that woman that I wasn't your   
girlfriend?"  
  
Ryoku merely shrugged. "I don't know," he replied. "It doesn't really matter, does it? I   
mean, she was just mistaken, that's all. Besides, we didn't really have the time to correct   
her since we had to board our plane, ne?"  
  
"I suppose so," Minako replied with a small frown.  
  
Ryoku was about to ask what was wrong when the captain's voice came on the loudspeaker.   
"That means we're about to take off...," Ryoku muttered uneasily to himself as he gripped   
his seats armrests tightly.  
  
"Relax, Ryo-kun," Minako whispered soothingly as she took his hand in hers.  
  
"Okay, Minako-chan," he said as he sat back in his seat. His back was stiff as a board and   
he was staring straight ahead at nothing, but at least he managed to get his hands to relax   
slightly.  
  
"Anou... I meant, relax your whole body, Ryo-kun," she replied, giving his hand an   
encouraging squeeze.  
  
"I'll try," he said as he slowly relaxed himself. He was almost completely calm when the   
plane started to move.  
  
"ITAI!" she gasped as his grip tightened painfully.  
  
"Oh! Gomen nasai, Minako-chan!" Ryoku exclaimed as he released her hand. "I didn't mean to   
do that! Daijoubu desu ka?"  
  
"My hand's all right, Ryo-kun," she replied with a smile as she tenderly rubbed her hand.   
"You've got a really strong grip, you know?"  
  
"Ehehe...," he laughed in chagrin as he rubbed the back of his head. "I'm just glad I   
didn't hurt you too much."  
  
"I'm all right, Ryo-kun," she reassured him. "Don't worry so much."  
  
Ryoku was about to say something else when the plane suddenly began to pick up its speed in   
order to ascend into the air. He suddenly went completely rigid again, his heartbeat and   
breathing quicking suddenly. Minako looked at Ryoku worriedly. She had never seen him this   
scared before, even during their trip to China. But, then again, during their flights to   
and from China, they hadn't sat together. This was the first time she had sat next to him   
during a flight and now she was witnessing, for the first time, Ryoku's fear of flying.  
  
"Ryo-kun, stay calm," she said urgently to him. "It'll be all right. I'm here beside you.   
Look at me." She waited until Ryoku was looking straight at her before continuing. "Keep   
looking at me, Ryo-kun. I promise it'll be all right. We'll get through this, remember?   
Together."  
  
"Together," he repeated weakly as he tried to fight his fears.  
  
Minako quickly took his hands in hers again. When the plane began to climb, Ryoku's grip   
tightened again, but this time she endured it without crying out in pain. She had to remain   
calm and strong, for Ryoku's sake.  
  
When the plane slowly stopped its climbing and leveled off, Ryoku began to grow calmer.   
"It's over now, Ryo-kun," she said with the slightest hint of pain in her voice. "You can   
relax now."  
  
"Oh, I crushed your hands again, didn't I?" Ryoku asked apologetically.  
  
"Don't worry about it," Minako told him firmly. "I said I was all right, remember? Now, how   
do you feel?"  
  
Ryoku shivered slightly. "I'm still kinda nervous and uneasy, but I think I can handle it,"   
he replied with some of his usual confidence.  
  
"That's good to hear, Ryo-kun," she replied with a slight yawn. "Flying always seems to   
make me sleepy. How about you, Ryo-kun?"  
  
"How long was this flight again?" he asked with a slight uneasy frown forming on his face.  
  
"It's gonna be a very long trip, since this's a direct flight to London from Tokyo,"   
Minako explained. "Over half a day, I think."  
  
"Nani?!?" he gasped in a tight voice. "Over half a day???"  
  
"Relax, Ryo-kun. I'll be here with you the whole way." She paused as she yawned again.   
"Maybe it would be best if you tried to get some sleep, Ryo-kun. If you're asleep, then you   
won't be nervous, ne?"  
  
"I suppose so...."  
  
"Here," she gestured toward him by patting her shoulder after she reclined her seat. "You   
can lean on me until I can get a pillow from the flight attendant."  
  
"I have a better idea," he replied as he reclined his seat and reached around Minako's   
shoulder. "You're tired, too, ne? Then, we can lean on each other."  
  
Minako sighed contentedly to herself as she leaned against Ryoku. "Now that you mention it,   
I am getting sleepy. Oyasumi nasai, Ryo-kun."  
  
Ryoku yawned as he slowly felt himself falling asleep. "Oyasumi nasai, Minako-chan...."  
  
When the flight attendant came to ask them if they wanted anything, she smiled at the sight   
she came across. "Kawaii...," she said softly to herself as she gestured over to her   
co-worker, signaling for her to bring a blanket and some pillows, although it didn't seem   
as though the sleeping couple really needed them. Gently, she laid the pillows on both   
their laps and draped the blanket around the sleeping pair, then left the two alone.  
  
**********************************************  
  
Minako slowly roused from her nap and glanced out toward the window. It was already full   
night outside; she must've been more tired than she thought. As she sat up from her seat,   
she realized that not only had there been a pillow under her head and a blanket covering   
her, but Ryoku was no longer in his seat.  
  
"Ryo-kun?" she called out as she glanced around.  
  
"Are you looking for the gentleman that was sitting next to you?" the flight attendant   
asked as she was rolling her cart forward. "I believe he went to one of the lavatory   
facilities in the back. Since he took a personal discomfort recepticle with him, I think he   
might be in there for quite a while." She shook her head sympathetically. "The poor young   
man seemed to be quite ill. I take it he's not very comfortable flying?"  
  
"Hai," she said with a nod as she threw off the blanket and unbuckled her seatbelt. "You   
could say that."  
  
"Oh, Miss?" the attendant said before she could get up. "We're going to be serving dinner   
soon. Would you care to ask your companion what meal he would prefer, chicken or fish?"  
  
"All right," Minako replied. "Oh, and I'll have chicken please."  
  
"Certainly, Miss."  
  
Minako carefully made her way to the back while being careful not to disturb any of the   
sleeping passengers. As soon as she reached the restrooms at the end of the plane, she   
checked to see which ones were occupied. Only one was.  
  
"Ryo-kun?" she called as she knocked on the door of the occupied restroom. "Daijoubu?" She   
grimaced as she heard the sound of vomiting coming from inside.  
  
"I think... I'll... be okay... in a few... minutes...," Ryoku moaned weakly, then heaved   
again. "Maybe... not...."  
  
"I guess you won't be wanting anything to eat, then," she said in a sympathetic tone.  
  
"Maybe... later...," he replied before a took a deep breath and opened the door. "I think   
I'm... all right, now," he told her with a determined look on his face. "Don't worry. I   
think I can handle it now."  
  
"They're serving dinner in a little bit," she informed him. "Chicken or fish. I don't   
suppose you want anything, ne?"  
  
"Maybe if I took it slow," he said as took a deep breath. "After all, I don't wanna bring   
it back up so soon after eating it."  
  
"Anou... Ryo-kun," she began with another grimace, "can we please change the subject before   
I need to go in there?"  
  
"My pleasure," he agreed with a nod. "So, how long until we... have to land."  
  
"About six or seven more hours, I think," she replied. "We slept a long time, Ryo-kun."  
  
"Any pleasant dreams?" he asked as they headed back to their seats.  
  
"I... can't really remember...," she began uncertainly. "However, there was one I do   
remember. I think it was because you were in it."  
  
"You dreamt of me?" he asked with a playful smirk.  
  
Minako laughed and playfully hit him in the arm. "Yeah, so I did. I bet you have just as   
many dreams of me, ne, Ryo-kun? After all, when you have such a lovely girl as myself as a   
partner, how can you not dream of me?" she asked with a playful wink.  
  
"Actually, I mostly dream of being a samurai during the Edo period," he replied with a   
grin. "I dream that I'm an acclaimed swordsman even greater than the master swordsmen,   
Yagyu Jubei or Miyamoto Musashi!"  
  
"Eh?" she said with a perplexed look on her face as she blinked in confusion.  
  
"As for the others, sure," he added as he moved out of the way so she could sit down first.   
"I've had a few dreams of you, too."  
  
"Really?" she asked with a grin.  
  
"I have," he replied as he sat down. "So, Minako-chan, what was the dream you had that I   
was in?"  
  
"Hmm...," she began as she picked up the blanket and handed Ryoku his half. "It was sort of   
strange, Ryo-kun. You see, I've never seen the place before, but I could've sworn that it   
felt so... familiar."  
  
"Like you've been there before?" he asked.  
  
"Hai, just like that!" she agreed. "Anyway, this place is covered in mist and the only   
other person there is you. The strange thing is that we're standing there as our... other   
selves."  
  
"You mean...," he began, then mouthed the words 'Sailor V and Masked Knight'.  
  
"No," she said, then mouthed the words 'Sailor Venus and Sailor Knight'.  
  
"Sugoi...," he said with a contemplative frown. "So, is there more?"  
  
"There are three other figures standing there," she continued. "They're hidden by the mist,   
so I don't know who they are. All I know is that they're all female and that they're...   
just like us."  
  
"Like us?" he repeated in a quiet voice. 'Our allies?'  
  
"Hai. Anyway, all five of us are standing around, looking for something. Suddenly, a bright   
light appears and almost blinds me, but it's gone in a few seconds. In the place where the   
light came from, there is someone standing there and staring down at me, but I think she's   
staring at all of us. Before she disappears into the mist again, she holds out her arms to   
us and says, 'Onegai.... Onegai, I need your help again.... Sailor Senshi, I need your help   
again....'"  
  
"So...," Ryoku said after a small moment of silence passed between them, "you've had the   
same dream that I had earlier...."  
  
"Nani yo?!?" Minako exclaimed in a hushed voice. "You had that dream, too?"  
  
"Yes," he agreed quietly. "Just before I woke up feeling quesy." He turned a pointed gaze   
at her, staring directly into her eyes. "Do you think that this dream means something?"  
  
"It might, Ryo-kun," she began thoughtfully. "I wish Artemis was here. He'd probably have   
something to say about it."  
  
"I think we'd better keep our eyes out in London," Ryoku said seriously. "For all we know,   
this could be a warning."  
  
**********************************************  
  
"You seem to be feeling much better, Ryo-kun," Minako noted.  
  
"You think so?" Ryoku asked. "I guess I've gotten used to feeling the plane moving through   
the air. I'm not really that nervous any...." His sentence was cut off as the captain of   
the plane announced that they were nearing London and were beginning their final descent....  
  
"D... descent?!?" he asked. "As in, falling? As in, plummeting? As in...."  
  
"Easy, Ryo-kun!" Minako said, trying to calm him. 'Jeez, and he was just beginning to   
loosen up, too....'  
  
"There aren't any mountains around, are there?" he asked urgently.  
  
"Sir, we're over England," one of the flight attendants replied as she was passing by. "The   
nearest mountain range is hundreds of kilometers away in the main European continent."  
  
"But, there's so many clouds about," he countered. "How can you be sure? What if the   
plane's instruments are wrong? We could be heading straight for a mountain and we wouldn't   
even know it until it was too late. Minako-chan, I...." He was cut off when Minako clapped   
her hand over his mouth.  
  
"Is he all right?" the flight attendant asked concernedly.  
  
"He's a little nervous," she explained. "It's his first time on a plane."  
  
"Oh," the flight attendant said understandingly, then smiled reassuringly at Ryoku. "I   
assure you, sir, our airline has never once lost an aircraft due to malfunctioning flight   
instruments, or crashing into mountains. You're very safe on this plane, I guarantee it."   
With that, she walked away to take care of other business.  
  
"Ryo-kun, I want you to calm down," Minako said sternly. "Honestly, you're acting like a   
child! What happened to the brave, Ryo-kun that would face anything while by his partner's   
side; even death?"  
  
At that, he stopped struggling and looked straight at her. "You're right, Minako-chan," he   
said quietly as he calmed himself. "I'm ashamed at the way I was behaving earlier. After   
facing the many dangers of the Dark Agency, flying on a plane should be nothing."  
  
"Right!" Minako said encouragingly. "Now, how do you feel?"  
  
"Like I wanna throw up again," he admitted quietly. "I trust you, Minako-chan, but I can't   
help but feel scared. I'll calmly face death, but at least I can fight back. On a plane, if   
we start to crash, I can't fight back. That's why I'm scared."  
  
"Ryo-kun...," she began as the plane began to dive through the clouds. Ryoku started to   
tense up, but his determined expression remained fixed on his face. She slowly reached out   
to him and took one of his hands in hers. "Remember, I'm here with you. Together. We'll   
face anything, even death, together as partners."  
  
"Anything...," Ryoku murmured quietly. "Together...."  
  
Slowly, through the window, the view of clouds gave way to a view of the city of London   
below. They were no longer over the ocean, but over land. Through the window, the land was   
coming closer and closer.  
  
"Please don't crash...," Ryoku mumbled quietly, as if praying. "Please don't crash....   
Please don't crash.... Please don't crash.... Please don't crash...."  
  
His litany was interrupted by the bump of the plane's wheels touching the ground. He   
glanced over to Minako with a questioning look on his face. "It is over?" he asked.  
  
"It's over," she agreed, giving his hand a squeeze of encouragement. "We're safe."  
  
"We made it, Minako-chan!" he said in pure relief. "We've arrived in London in one piece!   
Arigatou gozaimasu, Kami-sama!"  
  
Minako shook her head in chagrin. 'It's amazing how someone who can easily face the dangers   
we face without the slightest bit of worry can be so frightened of something as simple and   
as safe as flying on a plane,' she thought to herself. 'But, then again, considering his   
past with planes, I guess I can understand a little bit of the reason why....'  
  
The second the plane dock with the gate terminal, Ryoku grabbed his suitcase from the   
overhead compartment and handed it to Minako, then picked her up in his arms and raced off   
of the plane before anyone could even stand up.  
  
"Ryo-kun no baka!!!" Minako yelled as he raced off the plane, leaving the flight attendants   
to stare after the pair and sweatdrop in chagrin.  
  
"Yare, yare...," one of the flight attendants murmured as she shook her head and went back   
to assisting the other passengers.  
  
**********************************************  
  
Disclaimer: All original materials belong to their respective owners. Sailor Moon belongs   
to Naoko Takeuchi and a bunch of big companies. No copyright infringement is intended. This   
story belongs me, so I would appreciate it very much if you would ask for permission before   
posting it anywhere else. Thank you.  
  
The Question and all stories included are:  
Copyright © July 6, 2001 Jason C. Ulloa.   
All Rights Reserved. 


	14. Chapter 13

Alone No More: Minako's Story  
by Jason C. Ulloa  
  
  
Chapter 13  
  
"So, this Alan Nelson's supposed to be picking us up?" Ryoku asked as he and Minako started   
wandering around the airport. "Any idea where?"  
  
"Anou...," Minako began thoughtfully as she tried to remember. "Actually... I don't know,   
Ryo-kun."  
  
Ryoku facefaulted immediately. "Nani?"  
  
"Ehehe... I guess I forgot to ask. Gomen, Ryo-kun," she replied, laughing in chagrin as she   
put a hand to the back of her head. Ryoku sweatdropped silently in reply.  
  
"Oi! Aino-san! Kino-san!" a male voice shouted in Japanese from across the section of the   
airport that they were in. "Over here!"  
  
"Eh?" Ryoku said as he and Minako turned to see a black-haired young man waving at them. "I   
suppose that's Alan?"  
  
"Oh! He's cute!" Minako said aside to him.  
  
"Nani?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Eh? Oh, gomen, Ryo-kun. Reflex," she explained.  
  
"Yare, yare...," he grumbled flatly as he sweatdropped again.  
  
"At any rate," she added as they started to walk over to the man, "how do suppose that he   
knew that it was us? I don't remember meeting him before."  
  
"Now that you mention it...," he began, but cut off when the man started walking up to them.  
  
"Ah, so you two are Aino Minako-san and Kino Ryoku-san?" he asked, still speaking in   
Japanese.  
  
"Hai," both replied in unison.  
  
"Good," the man replied with a smile. "My name is Alan Nelson," he continued in English.   
"I'm pleased to meet you two. I must say that it was hard finding you, especially since I   
didn't know where to meet you both."  
  
"I am sorry about that," Ryoku replied, also in Enlgish. "Minako-chan and I did not know   
where to meet you."  
  
"I am too sorry," Minako added, also speaking in English. "I too forgetted...."  
  
"Forgot," Ryoku told her in a quiet whisper.  
  
"...forgot," she corrected herself with hardly a pause, "where we were to meet."  
  
"Ah, so you both have been studying your English as well, I see," Alan said with a pleased   
grin. "Please, come with me. My car's parked not too far from here, so we don't have that   
far of a walk."  
  
"Great!" Minako said in relief, reverting back to Japanese. "I'm very tired from the plane   
ride and all this walking...."  
  
Alan chuckled softly. "It must've been quite a trip for you and Ryoku-san," he said, also   
reverting to Japanese.  
  
"Hai!" she agreed. "It was especially hard on poor Ryo-kun," she added. "He's not too fond   
of flying."  
  
"I'm sorry to hear that," he said, frowning disappointedly at him, then smiling again.   
"Well, you'll be glad to hear that you don't have to worry about planes for a while, ne,   
Ryoku-san?"  
  
"Right," Ryoku agreed. "By the way, Nelson-san...."  
  
"Alan, is fine, Ryoku-san," Alan interjected.  
  
"And so is just Ryoku," he replied with a grin. "No honorifics is needed, or you can always   
call me, Ryo-kun."  
  
"I prefer Minako-chan!" she chimed in cheerily.  
  
"Very well, then," Alan said with a laugh. "Minako-chan and Ryo-kun."  
  
"As I was saying, Alan," Ryoku continued, "how did you know it was us when you saw us? Did   
you see a picture of us before."  
  
"Actually, I didn't know it was you," Alan admitted. "I guessed."  
  
"Nani?" both Minako and Ryoku said at once.  
  
"Well, since there aren't many people in England who speak Japanese and who have last names   
like Aino and Kino, I just watched for the two young people who reponded to the names and   
understood Japanese."  
  
"Ah," Ryoku said as he nodded. "No wonder."  
  
"How smart of you," Minako commented with a smile.  
  
"Why, thank you, Minako-chan," Alan replied as he smiled back. "Ah, there's my car." Minako   
and Ryoku glanced over to see that Alan was pointing to a small, light blue car parked not   
to far from the entrance to the airport. "You don't know how lucky I was to get a parking   
space so close! Usually, I'd have to go about half a kilometer before I could find a   
parking spot."  
  
"Is your house far from here?" Minako asked.  
  
"It's a not too far," Alan replied as he unlocked the car's doors. "Since you two are tired   
why don't you two just take a nap for a bit. I'll wake you when we get there."  
  
"All right," they both agreed as Minako climbed into the front passenger seat and Ryoku   
hopped into the back. Within minutes of Alan starting the car and pulling out of the   
parking lot, they were both fast asleep.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"This is your place?" Ryoku asked as soon as they had all exited the car. In front of them   
was a small, two-story brick house. The house had a nice, pleasant atmosphere around it;   
the lawn and hegdes surrounding the house were neatly trimmed, and the one tree in the   
front yard looked as though it had been recently trimmed of its dead branches. The roof of   
the house consisted of dark gray roofing tiles, while the wooden window frames were painted   
a nice snowy white with no signs of chipped or peeling paint. The solid oak door was also   
painted the same snowy white as the window frames, which made a bright contrast with the   
dark iron knocker and doorknob on the door.  
  
"Yes," Alan replied, reverting back to English. "It once belonged to my parents, but they   
left it to me when they died."  
  
"I am sorry," Ryoku said solemnly, also in English.  
  
"That's all right," Alan told him. "You couldn't have known. It was a long time ago and my   
parents lived long, happy lives in this house, as have I. I try to keep this house looking   
just as good as it did when they were still alive, just to keep their spirits happy. I know   
that whenever they look down at this house from wherever they are now, they are content   
knowing that their son is still doing fine."  
  
"How beautiful...," Minako sniffled as she wiped a small tear from her eye. "This's such a   
beautiful house. You must've had such wonderful parents."  
  
"That I did," Alan replied, going back to Japanese again as he took out his keys. "They   
were the ones who helped me go to college in Japan, and supported me when I choose to stay   
there after college."  
  
"So, that's why you can speak Japanese so well?" she asked.  
  
"That's it," he agreed. "When I learned that my parents had taken ill and might not have   
long to live, I immediately came home to see them." He paused as he opened the front door.   
"They both were happy to see me again and told me how proud they were that I had succeeded   
in the things that I wanted to do. They told me that my happiness was all that mattered to   
them and that they could rest easy knowing that they had succeeded in helping me get to   
where I was.  
  
"When they died, I made a promise to them that in return for taking care of me, one day I   
would take care of others in the same way. I suppose that is one reason why I volunteered   
to take in exchange students. If I can help others to succeed in life, then I would be   
making my parents happy."  
  
"How wonderful," Minako sighed dreamily while Ryoku walked into the house behind her and   
closed the door behind him.  
  
"I'm sure that you've been doing your parents proud," Ryoku said as he glanced around the   
house. "So, where're we going to sleep?"  
  
"Oh, the rooms are upstairs to your left," Alan told them as he pointed toward the   
staircase.  
  
"All right," he said as he lifted his suitcase. "Let's go, Minako-chan."  
  
"Right behind you, Ryo-kun," Minako replied as she followed him up the staircase.  
  
Alan watched them turn left from the top of the staircase, then sweatdropped as he noticed   
that they had both gone into the same room. 'Now, that's different,' he thought to himself.   
'Usually the males and females would go into separate rooms....' He turned and went up the   
staircase and toward the room that they had went into.  
  
"Oh, hi, Alan," Minako greeted him as he walked inside. "This's such a nice room. Was it   
yours when your parents were still alive?"  
  
"Uh... yes, it was," he replied uncertainly as he glanced from her to Ryoku. He was busy   
placing a couple of blankets on the floor at the other side of the room from Minako as she   
set her stuff on the bed. "You two... weren't planning on staying in the same room... were   
you?" he asked, slightly confused.  
  
"Well, we didn't want to impose upon you," Minako said as she moved some of her clothes   
from her bag to the top drawer of the dresser at one end of the room.  
  
"After all, that other room is yours, ne?" Ryoku added. "We wouldn't want to intrude on   
your privacy. Minako-chan and I'll be fine in here. Ne, Minako-chan?"  
  
"Hai!" she agreed with a nod as she finished moving her clothes into the dresser. "Oi,   
Ryo-kun, are you gonna open your suitcase, yet? I wanna put away the rest of my clothes!"  
  
"Eh?" Alan said and blinked as he noticed that one third of Ryoku's large suitcase held   
female clothing.  
  
"Thanks, Ryo-kun," she said as she took the rest of her clothes and started putting them   
away.  
  
"Um... okay...," Alan murmured and sweatdropped slightly.  
  
"Well, she's got a lot of clothes," Ryoku explained when he noticed Alan's expression. "I   
didn't really need so many clothes, so I let Minako-chan carry her extras in my suitcase so   
she didn't have to carry another bag."  
  
"I'm still going to have to get some more clothes during my stay here," Minako said partly   
to herself. "Ooh! I wanna try out all the latest English fashions!" she said excitedly as   
Ryoku sweatdropped and proceeded to put his clothes away in the bottom drawer of the   
dresser.  
  
Alan smirked to himself as he turned to leave. 'Those two seem to act like a close brother   
and sister would,' he observed to himself. 'I suppose that it'll be all right to let them   
share the room. Besides, the boy doesn't seem to be the type to take advantage of a girl,   
especially when they're obviously best friends.'  
  
"Oi! Quit throwing my socks at me, Minako-chan!"  
  
"Biidah!!! You missed, Ryo-kun!"  
  
"That's it! Time for some payback, Aino!"  
  
"Iku wa yo, Kino!"  
  
Alan chuckled to himself at the familiar sounds of the traditional first pillow fight when   
spending the first night in a strange place. He quietly went down the stairs and into the   
kitchen. His guests were always hungry after a good pillow fight, so he'd have dinner ready   
when they were done.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"I can't believe it, Ryo-kun!" Minako exclaimed excitedly. "Our first day in an English   
school! Oh, I'm so excited! I wonder if our school has a good volleyball team?"  
  
"I'm sure that you'll blow them away with your skills, Minako-chan," Ryoku said wryly. "At   
any rate, while we're out here, we should keep our eyes open," he said in a more serious   
tone. "Remember why we're here."  
  
"Hai, hai...," she replied with a tired sigh. "I know. The Dark Agency. Come on, Ryo-kun,   
we don't have to spend our entire time here doing nothing but work! We're in a faraway   
country seeing and doing things that none of our friends back home have ever dreamt of!   
Lighten up a bit, okay?"  
  
Ryoku sighed as he looked over to Minako, then grinned slightly. "I wonder if they have a   
fencing team?" he said partly to himself.  
  
"Now that's more like it!" she cheered as she took Ryoku's hand and started running down   
the street. "Come on, Ryo-kun! Our first day in a foreign school is just starting!"  
  
"Funny, you were never this excited to go to school back home," he commented wryly. "By the   
way, Minako-chan, you just ran past the street we were supposed to turn onto."  
  
"Eh?" she asked as she skidded to a stop. "Oh... Oops."  
  
"Come on," Ryoku said as he started to run, dragging her along just as she did before. "We   
don't wanna be late on our first day."  
  
A short time later, both Minako and Ryoku were standing out in the hallway in front of   
their first class as it began. "Well, we almost made it," Minako said sheepishly.  
  
"Fifteen minutes late is not almost making it, Minako-chan," Ryoku replied flatly as he   
sighed.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Finally!" Minako exclaimed as the final bell rang, releasing the students from school. "I   
thought school was never gonna end!"  
  
"So much for an exciting first day at a foriegn school," Ryoku muttered as he and Minako   
left. "Everything was practically the same as school back home, except that it was all   
taught in English!"  
  
"Hai," she agreed with a sigh, "Almost every class was like English class. I could barely   
understand anything that they were saying, especially with those accents!"  
  
"At any rate, Minako-chan," Ryoku said as he pulled out a map that he picked up on the way   
to school, "I think we'd better find that place that Natsuna-san was telling us about   
before we left."  
  
"You mean...," she began, then paused in thought. "Anou... what was that name again...? Oh,   
yeah! Interpol!"  
  
"So, you didn't forget?" he asked wryly.  
  
"You don't have to act all surprised, Ryo-kun," she replied flatly. "I can be serious when   
I have to be."  
  
"Of course," Ryoku agreed with a nod as he glanced back down at the map in his hands.  
  
"You know, Ryo-kun, that map was the reason why we were so late," she added with a small   
frown.  
  
"Okay, so I got lost, too," Ryoku admitted with a sigh. "We needed this map to find our way   
around, right?"  
  
"Right," Minako agreed. "But, couldn't you have at least tried using that pocket translator   
of yours before starting a conversation in English as if you were fluent in it."  
  
"Okay, okay!" he retorted defensively. "So I was being a little cocky. You have to admit   
that the man could understand part of what I was saying."  
  
"You tried to ask for a map. He pointed out a hat, a pair of pants, a candy bar, and a box   
of trading cards."  
  
"So, we had some slight miscommunications. I eventually got the map, ne?"  
  
"After I found it myself."  
  
Ryoku grimaced slightly. "We have the map. I say leave it at that."  
  
"Hey!" a voice shouted urgently out of sight behind them. "Help! Someone help! She's not   
moving! Call a hospital!!!"  
  
"Eh?" they both gasped as they whirled around in the direction of the voice.  
  
"Somebody stop him!" another voice shouted. "Police! Call the police!"  
  
"I think we'd better check this out, Minako-chan," he told her.  
  
"Right," she agreed. "The Dark Agency might've struck again already." With that, they   
quickly rushed forward, toward the cries for help.  
  
As soon as they turned a corner, a man rushed past them, running as fast as he could go. He   
pushed past them, knocking Ryoku into the wall and shoving Minako toward the street, almost   
into the path of an oncoming car. She regained her balance enough to avoid falling entirely   
into the street, but not enough to keep from getting hit by the car coming toward her head.   
Just as she was about to get hit, Ryoku pulled her back toward the middle of the sidewalk.   
She hugged her arms around him, relieved that she had avoided getting hit by that car.  
  
"Minako-chan," Ryoku said gently as he moved away from her enough so that he could examine   
her for any injuries. "You're okay."  
  
"Thank you, Ryo-kun," she said gratefully as she glanced in the direction that the man fled   
in. "You check the victim. I'll take care of him."  
  
"Wait," he said as he handed her a small device. "I tinkered with them a little more while   
we were in school. They're fully functional now. We may need them."  
  
Minako nodded as she pocketed the communicator. "Let's get to work," she told him with a   
serious expression on her face.  
  
"Hai!" Ryoku agreed as he turned and ran toward where the victim was. Minako scowled as she   
dashed into a nearby blind alleyway and brought out her transformation pen. "Moon Power   
Transform!" she yelled, changing quickly into Sailor V. Once transformed, she quickly   
leaped up onto the roof of the nearby building and began to chase the man by leaping from   
rooftop to rooftop.  
  
Ryoku knelt down next to the lifeless woman and examined her closely. 'Completely drained   
of her energy. This is the Dark Agency's work, all right.'  
  
He quickly jumped to his feet and ran into a nearby blind alleyway and brought out his Star   
Sword. "Star Sword Power Transform!" he yelled, changing quickly into Masked Knight. Once   
transformed, he quickly leaped up onto the roof of the nearby building and hurried in the   
direction he last she Minako heading in.  
  
"Venus," he called into the communicator, "where are you?"  
  
"Knight, I'm following that man that shoved past us now," she replied. "I'm up on the   
rooftops."  
  
"I see you. I'm coming your way." Masked Knight shut off his communicator and ran faster   
until he caught up with Sailor V. "Oi, Venus," he said as he joined her. "I think I saw a   
policewoman chasing after that man as I was catching up to you."  
  
"Nani?" she said, glancing back at him. "Already? That was fast; the police were never that   
fast back home."  
  
"The police here never had Sailor V or Masked Knight to help them," he added. "Then again,   
they never had the Dark Agency to deal with, either. Look!" he shouted as he pointed down   
toward the street.  
  
Below them, the man had stopped and was now holding a little girl hostage. "How dare that   
man use that little girl as a hostage! No one has the right to mistreat an innocent young   
girl like that!" Sailor V exclaimed angrily.  
  
"He's gonna drain that little girl's energy just as he did that woman," Masked knight   
stated. "That policewoman isn't going to be able to stop that guy by herself."  
  
As soon as he said that, the man quickly began to drain the girl's energy. As he did so,   
his form slowly began to change into that of a winged creature. It screeched in anger as   
glared out at the other people around it as it tried to drain all of the girl's young   
energy. The policewoman aimed her gun at the creature, but hesitated for fear of hitting   
the little girl by mistake.  
  
The creature was about to finish off the girl when something flashed by, slashing the   
creature's arm and striking the ground between the creature and the policewoman. "What's   
this?" she muttered quizzically to herself. "A sword?"  
  
A loud shouting overhead drew everyone's attention as two figures leaped off the edge of a   
building, each executing a flying kick that connected hard with the head of the winged   
creature. The force of the combined attack was enough to destroy the creature and free the   
young girl. The policewoman blinked in surprise as she noticed the two saviors: a masked   
boy and girl, each wearing what looked like strange school outfits from her home country of   
Japan.  
  
"Daijoubu?" the masked girl asked the little girl as she knelt down beside her.  
  
"Huh? What'd you say?" the girl asked in English.  
  
"Baka...," the masked boy sighed as he shook his head. "She asked if you were all right?"   
the boy asked in English.  
  
'Those two are Japanese!' the policewoman thought in shock. 'What are a pair of Japanese   
junior high-school kids in strange fukus doing here... and fighting a winged creature?'  
  
"Oi! Hey, you two!" the policewoman shouted at them as she walked over toward them.   
  
"Eh?" the boy said as he turned toward her. "Excuse me, but you are a policewoman, ne? ...I   
mean, right?" he asked.  
  
The policewoman smiled at the boy. "Hai, sou desu."  
  
"Ara!" the girl exclaimed. "You can speak Japanese, too? Sugoi!"  
  
"Excuse me, but we're searching for a police building called Interpol," the boy said. "Do   
you know where we can find it?"  
  
"I work for Interpol," the policewoman said with a laugh. "So, you two are the Japanese   
transfers we were expecting, ne? I'm Katrina Nagashi."  
  
"I'm Masked Knight," the boy said. "And she's Sailor V."  
  
"You know Natsuna-oneechan?" Sailor V asked.  
  
"You mean Sakurada Natsuna?" Katrina asked. "Well, not personally, but I did talk with her   
over the phone. I am one of the few people in Interpol who speaks Japanese, you know."  
  
"I see," Masked Knight said with a nod. "So, I suppose we'll be working with you, then?"  
  
"Yes," Katrina agreed. "But I would like to ask you something first. What was that... thing   
you two had just taken out? I suppose he was behind the rash of mysterious attacks we've   
been having lately."  
  
"Attacks?" both gasped at once.  
  
"Yes," she confirmed. "They've been going on for almost two weeks straight. Everyday, we'd   
get report after report on these attacks. People would fall over unconscious and stay in a   
coma for days before waking up weak as a baby. Do you two know what is going on?"  
  
"All we can tell you is that the attacks were the very reason we came here," Masked Knight   
explained.  
  
"The same people behind the attacks back home in Tokyo are trying to do the same thing here   
in London," Sailor V added.  
  
"Do either of you know who's behind this?" Katrina asked.  
  
"We do," they replied together.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"It's a long story, Nagashi-san," Masked Knight began.  
  
"Please, call me Katrina," she told him.  
  
"Katrina-san, this isn't exactly something that people would believe...."  
  
"I've seen what you two can do, and I want to help you both," she said pleadingly. "You   
both can confide in me; I fight for justice, just like you."  
  
"Katrina...," Sailor V said as she turned to Masked Knight. "I think we can trust her."  
  
"If you say so," Knight acquiesed as he turned from her to face Katrina. "Okay. If you   
would meet us...." He paused in thought for a second as he glanced around. Suddenly, a loud   
chiming could be heard from a distance away. "Of course," he said with a grin. "Meet us   
near the south side of Big Ben at 6:45pm."  
  
"Big Ben?" Katrina repeated. "Why? Why can't you tell me now?"  
  
"We need to go home first," Sailor V explained. "We just got out of school a while ago and   
we are kinda late getting home. We might be in a little bit of trouble with the person   
we're staying with. After all, he might be getting worried about us being so late."  
  
Katrina chuckled slightly at that. "I understand. 6:45pm it is, then."  
  
"We'd better get going," Masked Knight said. "Ja matte ne!"  
  
"Ja ne, Katrina!" Sailor V added as they both leaped back up toward the rooftops and dashed   
off.  
  
"Sailor V and Masked Knight...," Katrina murmured to herself. "They're only a couple of   
children... but, I wonder who they are...."  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Tadaima!" Minako and Ryoku shouted as they walked into the house.  
  
"You two get lost?" Alan asked, his voice showing concern for them.  
  
"Uh, kinda...," Ryoku admitted. "I had to get a map just to find our way around."  
  
"I see," Alan said, obviously relieved. "I'm glad you two are okay. It would be a horrible   
thing for me to have to tell your families that you two had ended up missing."  
  
"Aw, Minako-chan and I can take care of ourselves," Ryoku said confidently. "We just lost   
our way, that's all."  
  
"Right," Minako agreed with a grin. "Ryo-kun's always looking out for me, so you don't need   
to worry so much, okay?"  
  
Alan chuckled to himself. "Of course," he agreed. "Well you two, just don't give me any   
more frights, all right? I may not have to worry about you, but I'd at least like to know   
where you to are for my own peace of mind."  
  
"Okay," Minako agreed as she walked over to him and smiled up at him. "Next time, Ryo-kun   
and I'll make sure you know where we are, ne, Ryo-kun?"  
  
Ryoku sweatdropped at Minako's behavior. 'Great. Looks like the Aino Minako crush strikes   
yet again and Alan's the next target. Oh, great. She's gonna start acting all dreamy-eyed   
for the whole time we're here!' He sighed to himself as he nodded. "Hai...," he agreed with   
a small sigh.  
  
"That reminds me," she continued, "Ryo-kun and I promised to meet someone near Big Ben at   
around 6:45pm today."  
  
Alan nodded. "Okay, Minako-chan, just make sure you and Ryo-kun aren't out for too long."  
  
"Thank you, Alan!" Minako cried as she hugged him then started for the door, grabbing   
Ryoku's arm along the way. "Come on, Ryo-kun! I wanna go look around before we have to meet   
Katrina-san!"  
  
"Oi!" he managed to gasp out before he was dragged out the door.  
  
Alan stared at the door Minako and Ryoku ran out of. "Have fun...," he chuckled to himself   
as he shook his head in amusement.  
  
**********************************************  
  
Disclaimer: All original materials belong to their respective owners. Sailor Moon belongs   
to Naoko Takeuchi and a bunch of big companies. No copyright infringement is intended. This   
story belongs me, so I would appreciate it very much if you would ask for permission before   
posting it anywhere else. Thank you.  
  
The Question and all stories included are:  
Copyright © July 6, 2001 Jason C. Ulloa.   
All Rights Reserved. 


	15. Chapter 14

Alone No More: Minako's Story  
by Jason C. Ulloa  
  
  
Chapter 14  
  
"Aw, come on, Ryo-kun...," Minako whined. "Can't we keep looking around some more? I saw a   
beautiful designer dress that would've looked gorgeous on me...."  
  
"I'm sure you would've looked stunning, Minako-chan," Ryoku said patiently as he dragged   
her out of yet another fashion boutique. "But, honestly, Minako-chan, do you think you can   
afford a £500 dress?"  
  
"£500?!?" she exclaimed in surprise. "No way! It'd take me a year to save up enough for   
that!"  
  
"Besides," he added pointing toward Big Ben, which showed 6:12pm, "we're supposed to be   
meeting someone in a half-hour. Remember?"  
  
"All right, all right," she huffed irritably. "I know." She sighed as she gave the boutique   
shop one last longing look over her shoulder, then turned and walked away, leaving Ryoku to   
follow behind her.  
  
"Gomen, Minako-chan," he said penitently after a little while. "I didn't mean to be a wet   
blanket."  
  
"That's all right, Ryo-kun," she replied, smiling at him over her shoulder. "If you hadn't   
dragged me out of that store, I'd probably have stayed there till it closed. Those dresses   
were so beautiful...."  
  
"And expensive," he added flatly.  
  
"You're ruining the mood, Ryo-kun!" she exclaimed crossly. "You worry too much about   
details like prices. Can't you just appreciate the fine beauty of the dresses without   
worrying so much?"  
  
Ryoku merely shrugged. "I'm a guy," he replied simply. "I guess it's just in my nature to   
worry about things like price when it comes to dresses."  
  
Minako sighed as she shook her head. "And here I was hoping that you'd be different and not   
like most other guys...."  
  
"Minako-chan," he said quietly, "do you know how long we were in that store?"  
  
"Anou...," she began as she blinked and glanced skyward in thought. "Twenty minutes?"  
  
"Almost an hour," he replied flatly. "Now, you tell me how many guys would actually remain   
inside a store like that, without complaining?"  
  
"Hey! You did complain once!" she retorted.  
  
"That was when you brought me over to the lingerie department," he said dryly. "And I only   
protested once. After that, I had to endure both people staring or winking knowingly. I   
suppose they thought that I was your boyfriend and... well, I think you get the point."  
  
Minako's blushes told him that she did. "Ehehehehe.... I guess I did kinda forget about   
that," she admitted. "It's just... they would've looked fabulous on me!"  
  
Ryoku sweatdropped at he glanced at Minako. "I think you were getting a little too carried   
away back there. I mean, we're still just in junior high, right? Don't you think that stuff   
was a little too... adult... for you to wear?"  
  
"Well, yeah...," she admitted. "But still, I thought that they were pretty...." She   
stopped, then turned and smiled sweetly at him as she put her hands on his chest and leaned   
forward against him. "What you think, Ryo-kun?" she asked in a low, smoky tone. "How do you   
think I'd look in clothing like that? Should I try and model one for you?"  
  
This time, Ryoku facefaulted. "Nani...?" he gasped nervously.  
  
"Oh, come on, Ryo-kun," Minako said, giggling as she winked playfully at him. "I was only   
joking. I think you were the one taking all of this way too seriously. I just wanted to   
take a look while I was there. My mother wouldn't allow me to look around at stuff like   
that whenever we went to stores like that, so I figured that this would've been the perfect   
opportunity."  
  
"Oh...," he said, trying to hide the obvious relief in his voice and failing miserably.   
This only made her laugh harder, which slowly began to infect him. Soon, they were both   
laughing over the whole thing.  
  
"Oi, Ryo-kun," she said as soon as she got herself under control. "We're almost there. I   
think we'd better change. After all, Katrina doesn't know who we are yet."  
  
"Right," he replied with a nod as he reached behind his back and pulled out his Star Sword.   
"There," he said, nodding toward an isolated alley. They both hurried toward the alley   
while making sure that no one was either watching or following. "We're safe," he reported   
when they had made it inside.  
  
"All right, then," she said as she held out her transformation pen and Ryoku held up his   
Star Sword. "Let's change."  
  
**********************************************  
  
Katrina wandered around the agreed upon area, watching and waiting for Sailor V and Masked   
Knight. She glanced up at the huge face of Big Ben, looking at the time. 6:43pm. It was   
almost the agreed upon time. 'I hope they come,' she thought to herself. 'I've been trying   
to fine the answer behind these attacks for weeks. I could use any help I can get, even if   
it comes from a pair of school kids in strange fukus wearing masks over their eyes.'  
  
"Katrina-san?" she heard a young male's voice call out to her.  
  
"Yes?" she answered as she turned around. Sailor V and Masked Knight were both standing   
behind her. 'Amazing...,' she thought to herself. 'I never heard them arrive....'  
  
"It's us again," Sailor V said with a grin.  
  
"So I see," Katrina said, smiling as well. "I'm glad you two came. Now, would you two   
please explain to me about the attacks that have been occuring here for the past few   
weeks?" she asked, her expression turning serious. "You both said that you knew who were   
behind the attacks and that you have dealt with them before, right?"  
  
"We have," Masked Knight replied just as seriously.  
  
"And we do know who is behind these attacks," Sailor V added.  
  
"Can you please tell me?" Katrina implored.  
  
"This is a long story," Masked Knight told her, "but we will try to make it as short as   
possible. Sailor V?"  
  
"All right, I'll start," she said with a nod. "Our enemies are known as the Dark Agency.   
Their goal is to gather as much human life energy as possible in order to take over the   
Earth."  
  
"Dark Agency?" Katrina repeated incredulously. "Take over the Earth?"  
  
"Right," Masked Knight confirmed. "The Dark Agency, however, is only a branch of a much   
larger force, known only to us as the Dark Kingdom. As far as we know, the Dark Kingdom   
isn't fully operational yet, so they need the Dark Agency to supply them with human life   
energy."  
  
"Dark Kingdom???" Katrina said in disbelief.  
  
"I think we're going a little ahead of ourselves," Masked Knight said with a thoughtful   
frown. "Maybe we should go into a little bit of our own history?"  
  
"Okay," Sailor V said with a nod. "I was the first to be awakened to my powers as a soldier   
of justice. Codename: Sailor V. The soldier of justice and the sailor-suited beautiful   
soldier, Sailor Venus. My powers come from the protection of the planet Venus."  
  
"As for myself," Masked Knight added, "I accidently learned of Venus' secret, but instead   
of just keeping it to myself, I decided to fight alongside her as her partner. Only later   
did I learn that I, too, had the power of a soldier of justice. Codename: Masked Knight.   
The soldier of justice and the sailor-suited handsome soldier, Sailor Knight. My powers   
come from the protection of the Earth itself."  
  
"We would fight one enemy of the Dark Agency after another," Sailor V continued. "The fight   
never seemed to end, and there were a few times when all I wanted to be was an ordinary   
girl...." She glanced at Masked Knight's pointed look and sighed in chagrin. "Okay, LOTS of   
times!" she shot at her smirking partner. "Happy?"  
  
Katrina couldn't help but laugh. "You two must be very close," she noted. "I can tell by   
the way you act around each other."  
  
"We have each saved the other's life so many times that we can no longer count, nor do we   
care to," Masked Knight told her.  
  
"At any rate," Sailor V continued, "a few weeks ago, we had taken care of who we thought   
was the last of the Dark Agency and set out to find our allies who would aid us in our   
fight against the Dark Kingdom. But we soon learned that the Dark Agency still lived and   
had made their way here."  
  
"Now, we must finish off the Dark Agency," Masked Knight concluded. "Only then can we go   
back home to Japan."  
  
"I see...," Katrina said somberly. "So, the victims of all those attacks...?"  
  
"They're life energy had been drained," he confirmed with a nod.  
  
"And that monster you two had taken out earlier...?"  
  
"The Dark Agency," Sailor V confirmed.  
  
"Let me help you both," Katrina offered. "I've been trying to find out who's been behind   
all these attacks for the longest time. Now that I know, I don't want to sit idly by as you   
both do all the work."  
  
"It's too dangerous, Katrina-san," Masked Knight told her. "You might get yourself   
killed...."  
  
"Knight," Sailor V said softly.  
  
"What is it?" he asked.  
  
"I still remember when I told you the exact same thing," she told him. "Remember what you   
said to me?"  
  
"You mean, 'somehow, I feel as though I have to do this'?" he asked, then sighed. "I guess   
if that's the way she feels about it...."  
  
"I risk my life everyday," Katrina told them. "It's part of my job. I know what I'm getting   
myself into. Trust me."  
  
Masked Knight stared at her in surprise for a few moments. "Trust you...," he murmured to   
himself. "You know, I said that to her as well, when I first became her partner...." He   
nodded slowly as if coming to a decision, glanced around, then changed back to his normal   
form.  
  
"Somehow...," he said with some slight uncertainty. "Somehow, I do trust you, Katrina."  
  
Katrina stared at Ryoku in shock. She never expected for him to just reveal his identity to   
her, especially when she hardly knew him and he hardly knew her. But, he did say that he   
trusted her.... She got her second shock when Sailor V changed back into her ordinary form   
as well.  
  
"If he trusts you that much," Minako said after changing back, "then I can trust you as   
well. Especially since we're going to be working together."  
  
"Right," Katrina said with a smile. "And, thank you both for trusting me enough to do this.   
Oh...," she gasped in realization. "I don't even know your names...."  
  
"Atashi wa Aino Minako," Minako said with a huge smile.  
  
"Boku wa Kino Ryoku," Ryoku said with a small grin.  
  
"So, Minako-san and Ryoku-san...," Katrina began with a nod.  
  
"Minako-chan."  
  
"Ryo-kun."  
  
"All right, then," Katrina ammended with a smile. "Minako-chan and Ryo-kun."  
  
**********************************************  
  
"What do you think of Katrina, Ryo-kun?" Minako asked as she and Ryoku started for home.   
They had been talking with Katrina for over an hour, basically just getting to know the   
Interpol officer. "She's nice, ne?"  
  
"Very," Ryoku replied with a nod as he glanced up at a nearby street sign and compared the   
name with the map in his hands. "Still, even though I understand what she's feeling, I   
can't help but feel a little uneasy about letting her take the same risks we do. I know we   
already agreed, Minako-chan," he said quickly, forstalling a possible arguement from   
Minako, who had just started to open her mouth, "but it's different with her."  
  
"Oh?" Minako asked flatly. "How is it different, Ryo-kun? When you first started to fight   
at my side, you had no powers. You didn't even have your sword."  
  
"Katrina doesn't have the powers we do," he said calmly.  
  
"You had no powers, either, when you started," she countered quickly.  
  
"You think that Katrina might be a soldier of justice like us?" he asked facetously.  
  
"It's possible," she told him. "You became a soldier of justice, didn't you? Who knows,   
Katrina might be one, too."  
  
Ryoku merely shrugged. "It's possible, unlikely as it is," he conceded. "Well, when she   
does become a soldier of justice like us, that is when I'll stop feeling uneasy."  
  
Minako frowned slightly at him as she turned her gaze down the road. "I have faith in   
Katrina," she said certainly.  
  
"I never said that I didn't have any faith in her," he told her patiently. "I believe in   
her just as much as you do. But that doesn't mean that I can't feel uneasy as well. Did you   
ever feel uneasy having me fight alongside you before I became Masked Knight?"  
  
Minako looked at him in surprise. She wasn't expecting that question to come up. "Anou...   
now that you mention it...," she began with some slight chagrin, "I think I see what you're   
talking about. Still, I have no worries about Katrina fighting with us."  
  
"I know that she's an Interpol officer with plently of experience," he said with a sigh as   
he folded up the map and put it away. "She also carries a gun, which I'm sure she has had   
plenty of training on and experience in using, but I'm not sure if guns and law enforcement   
training will be enough against the Dark Agency." He turned to look at his partner, his   
eyes showing the uncertainty he was feeling. "Minako-chan, tell me that I'm worrying too   
much about all this."  
  
Minako looked back at him, then turned away and shook her head. "Now, I'm not as sure,   
Ryo-kun," she told him. "You've made some good points. But still, we said that she could   
help us."  
  
"I know, Minako-chan," he said, nodding slowly. "She knows about the risk she's taking. I   
certainly hope that she isn't getting in over her head...."  
  
"Me, too, Ryo-kun...," she sighed as they reached the house. The lights were on and they   
could see Alan waving at them from his upstairs window. "Me, too...."  
  
**********************************************  
  
"So... they have found us all the way here...," Quartzite murmured thoughtfully as he gazed   
out into the night sky. The building where he had set up the Dark Agency's base of   
operations was an old abandoned warehouse near the river. He never bothered to learn the   
river's name since he wasn't going to stay here that long.  
  
The Dark Kingdom was already in operation thanks to his efforts in London, and at the rate   
the Dark Kingdom was building its power, when he was done Queen Beryl would surely promote   
him to the rank of General. But, now that Sailor V and Masked Knight were here....  
  
"I think I should step up my operations a bit," he said quietly to himself as he continued   
to stare up into the starry sky. "If they're going to keep trying to stop me, then I'd like   
to have more than enough energy to deliver to Queen Beryl, in case I have to make a hasty   
retreat." He quietly scowled as he turned to go back into the warehouse.  
  
"Then again," he said with a sudden grin as he was about to step through the door, "if I   
managed to do what even Danburite failed to do - to kill Sailor V and Masked Knight - then   
Queen Beryl would surely promote me on the spot! I would definitely become a General!"  
  
He silently weighed his options. On the one hand, he would retreat when he thought that it   
was prudent, keeping his life intact, but he would lose face with Queen Beryl even if he   
gave her a tremendous amount of energy on his return. On the other hand, he would risk his   
life to destroy Sailor V and Masked Knight, securing his rise to the venerable rank of   
General.  
  
General Quartzite... that would show Zoisite and Kunzite. He never really liked those two   
very much. Nephrite and Jadeite were more friendly to him, especially since they remembered   
the rank he used to hold, first among the Dark Kingdom, just below the four generals. The   
only reason he was bumped down to working in the Dark Agency under Danburite was because of   
a botched attempt to attain an artifact that he thought would assure his rise to the rank   
of General.  
  
He shook his head as he turned his thoughts back to the matter at hand. To stand, or to   
retreat...? To return in defeat with his life intact, or to risk it all to obtain the   
sweetest prize...?  
  
Who was he kidding? He would do anything if he was sure that it would make him a General.  
  
With his mind firmly set on his new strategy, he went back inside the warehouse. He had a   
lot of planning to do. Sailor V and Masked Knight would die. He would make certain of that.  
  
**********************************************  
  
Ryoku sighed to himself as he gazed up at the stars from the top of Alan's roof. It had   
been a few days since the first meeting with Katrina and he had a lot on his mind that he   
didn't want to burden Minako with.  
  
He had just checked in with Artemis as Minako lay asleep in their room just underneath him.   
He had never told her that he had also configured the communicators to be able to contact   
Artemis back in Tokyo... well, his at least. He and Artemis had come to an agreement that   
it would've been better if he was the only one to know of the progress that was going on   
back home. Minako had enough on her hands with the Dark Agency without having to worry   
about her unknown ally back home... or, rather, her two allies, since Artemis had just   
reported that Luna had just found Sailor Mercury.  
  
Ryoku smiled to himself at being able to finally know about their new allies back home,   
even though Artemis never mentioned any names other than Luna, who apparently was a cat   
just like him, only black and female. All he knew about his allies were the names they went   
by after transformation, Sailor Moon and Sailor Mercury. Sailor Senshi, just like they   
were. 'Sailor Senshi...,' he mused to himself. 'I think I like that better than "soldier of   
justice". It has a nice ring to it.'  
  
He sighed to himself, upset at having to keep secrets from his partner when he wanted to   
tell her everything. She would be so excited... which was probably why Artemis didn't want   
her to know. Artemis knew that she tended to get distracted very easily, which was   
something that he had been trying to help her get over... with very little results.  
  
Artemis seemed to be very surprised over the news that he had given him. Like him, Artemis   
doubted very highly that Katrina could possibly be a Sailor Senshi, especially since the   
Sailor Senshi were supposed to be found in Tokyo, not London. Artemis also said that he   
didn't think that it would be a bad idea if the Interpol officer did help, since she   
obviously knew London better than they did and could aid them in finding the remains of the   
Dark Agency.  
  
"Thinking about something, Ryo-kun?" Minako asked as she climbed up onto the roof and sat   
down next to him. "You look like you're deep in thought."  
  
"I was just thinking about home," he told her. "You know, about how Artemis must be doing   
without us."  
  
"Oh, I'm sure that he's doing fine," Minako said dismissively. "You know him; he's probably   
getting into trouble somewhere or just sleeping in the sunlight in my room."  
  
Just as he was about to speak, a breeze began to pick up, sending a wave of chilled air   
over the rooftops. Since Minako was wearing her light pajamas and Ryoku was only wearing a   
pair of sweat pants, they both began to shiver slightly at the drop in temperature.  
  
"Ryo-kun, why'd you come up here without wearing a shirt?" she asked as she scooted closer   
to him and wrapped her arms around him. "You must be cold, being shirtless like that."  
  
Ryoku could feel Minako shivering as well as she held him. He knew that she was giving him   
some of her warmth, so he wrapped his arms around her, giving her back some of his warmth   
in return. He could feel her shivering slowly subside as he held her.  
  
"Feeling better, Minako-chan?" he asked as he smiled down at her.  
  
She silently nodded as her eyes held his. "I don't even feel cold anymore...," she murmured   
quietly as she leaned into him and rested her head against his shoulder. "Mmm... this feels   
so good, Ryo-kun...," she yawned as she slowly began to fall asleep in his arms.  
  
"I think we'd better go back inside, Minako-chan," he said to the tired blonde he held   
gently in his arms. "It's starting to get a little colder out here and I don't think you   
want to spend the night outside...." He stopped as he noticed that she had fallen asleep.   
"Minako-chan...," he sighed fondly.  
  
Without jostling the sleeping beauty, he slowly stood up and shifted Minako so that she was   
riding piggyback. Slowly and carefully, he made his way down from the roof and back into   
their room and placed her back in her bed without waking her once. He gently tucked her   
into her bed and kissed her lightly on her forehead before going to bed himself.  
  
"Oyasumi nasai, Minako-chan," he whispered as he settled himself into his blankets and   
slowly fell asleep.  
  
**********************************************  
  
Disclaimer: All original materials belong to their respective owners. Sailor Moon belongs   
to Naoko Takeuchi and a bunch of big companies. No copyright infringement is intended. This   
story belongs me, so I would appreciate it very much if you would ask for permission before   
posting it anywhere else. Thank you.  
  
The Question and all stories included are:  
Copyright © July 6, 2001 Jason C. Ulloa.   
All Rights Reserved. 


	16. Chapter 15

Alone No More: Minako's Story  
by Jason C. Ulloa  
  
  
Chapter 15  
  
"Well, that was interesting," Katrina said as she, Sailor V, and Masked Knight all left   
Interpol after the two Senshi checked in. "I hoped that you two were better at speaking   
English than that. I was almost embarrassed for you both! I'm just glad that you both can   
speak it well enough to be understandable."  
  
"What do you expect?" Knight replied with a shrug. "We're junior high exchange students,   
Katrina-san. We know enough, but we're hardly experts."  
  
"And those accents!" Sailor V added, shaking her head. "It's so hard to understand them   
with those accents! I'm sure we wouldn't be having this much trouble if we had to go to   
America. At least they don't have these heavy accents!"  
  
Katrina laughed quietly to herself. "I know what you mean," she replied understandingly. "I   
had problems understanding them when I came to live here, but now I've gotten used to it.   
I'm just fortunate that I don't speak with the same kind of accent, or else I'd probably   
have trouble understanding myself."  
  
Sailor V and Masked Knight both laughed at that. "Well then, Katrina," Sailor V said with a   
grin, "maybe you can help us with our English. After all, you know the language and you   
don't speak with an accent."  
  
"Well, since I'm going to be working with you two, then I'd be more than happy to help you   
both learn to speak English properly," she answered with a smile. "After all, if you're   
going to be here a while, then you'll both need it."  
  
"No kidding," Knight said with a grimace. "Kinda makes me feel a little foolish when no one   
can understand what I'm saying. We appreiciate your help, Katrina-san."  
  
"Yeah, we're really grateful, Katrina!" Sailor V added. "Thank you!"  
  
"Well, since nothing's really going on right now, how about we go over our first lesson?"   
Katrina suggested. "Let's go."  
  
**********************************************  
  
After Minako and Ryoku found a place to change back from their alter egos, they all took a   
walk though downtown London. Katrina pointed out various buildings, landmarks, and - to   
Minako's delight and Ryoku's dismay - shops. Minako pointed out each of the shops that she   
had already visited with Ryoku. From the expressions on his face, Katrina could easily tell   
that he would rather not have to go through most of the stores again. One clothing store in   
particular made a slight redness appear in his face, which made her wonder what exactly was   
Minako looking at in that store.  
  
"Either of you hungry?" Katrina asked as they passed by a small café.  
  
"Hai!" Minako exclaimed as she nodded enthusiastically. "I'm starved! Let's go eat!"  
  
"Sure, I can go for some food right about now," Ryoku replied, while glancing askance at   
Minako's... eagerness. "Where're we going?"  
  
"Here's a good place," she replied as she nodded back toward the café. "We can test your   
English speaking abilities by ordering lunch. Oh, and I'm not going to help either of you,"   
she added with a mischevious smirk. "If you end up with something that you don't want,   
you're going to have to deal with it."  
  
Minako grimaced slightly as her English still wasn't very good. Ryoku, on the other hand,   
merely shrugged indifferently. Her grimace deepened as she glanced at him. Of course, he   
wouldn't have much difficulty. Although he wasn't an advanced speaker of English, he   
understood a lot more than she did. Even worse, she knew he wouldn't help her order if she   
got stuck. This was a test; he wouldn't help her because it would be cheating.  
  
"Well, let's go get something to eat," Katrina said as she went inside, leaving the two   
others to follow her inside.  
  
After finally getting a table and some menus, Minako was chagrined to find out that Katrina   
had intentionally picked a place that had no pictures on the menus. 'Shimatta...,' Minako   
mentally cursed as she tried her best to figure out the menu. Sure, she could understand   
some items, but she was hardly in the mood for a cheese sandwich. She glanced over at   
Ryoku, noticing that he had a blank expression on his face. Knowing him, that probably   
meant that he was having just as much trouble as she was. Maybe they should both just go   
for the cheese sandwiches and be done with it.  
  
"All right," Ryoku said finally with a small resigned sigh. "I've decided."  
  
Minako gave her menu one last glanced and decided on something that sounded good enough:   
fish and chips. The thing was, she just wished she knew what 'chips' were. Potato chips,   
maybe? But that hardly sounded right. Oh, well....  
  
"I've decided, too," she said as well. Maybe if what she ordered wasn't something she could   
ingest, perhaps Ryoku would share some of his... that is, unless he ordered something   
horrid as well. Then again, what if her order was good and his was the unedible one? Well,   
Ryoku was better at English than she was, so it was more likely that his was the better   
order anyway.  
  
"Can I take your order?" a waiter asked - in English - after he had come to their table.  
  
"You first, Minako," Katrina said, also in English.  
  
Minako sighed as she readied herself. "I'll have the fish and chips," she said. "And some   
milk."  
  
Ryoku blinked as he stared at her in bewilderment. "Anou.... I will have the same," he told   
the waiter without turning his gaze from Minako.  
  
Katrina glanced askance at Ryoku, then turned toward the waiter. "Same here."  
  
"So, three orders of fish and chips, and three milks," the waiter confirmed. "They shall be   
ready shortly." With that, he turned and left promptly.  
  
"Amazing...," Ryoku muttered just as Katrina was about to open her mouth and comment on the   
fact that he choice the exact same thing as Minako. "You chose the exact same thing that I   
was thinking of, Minako-chan!"  
  
"Coincidence, huh?" Katrina asked, giving the two a wry look.  
  
"Comes from being partners for so long," Minako replied. "We start to think alike."  
  
"And that's what scares me," Ryoku commented facetously.  
  
"Hmph!" she shot back, then pulled down one eyelid and stuck out her tongue. "Biidah!"  
  
"Sou ka?" he replied, then repeated the gesture back at her until they began to laugh at   
how stupid they looked. All the while, Katrina watched the both of them and laughed softly   
to herself.  
  
"All right, you two," she said with some amusement. "Maybe we should get back to our little   
English lesson. Now, let's go over what we've learned so far and see what you both   
remember...."  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Those fish and chips were great!" Minako said in a satisfied voice as they left the café.   
"You know, for a moment I thought that I was gonna order something really bad."  
  
Ryoku smirked. "Maybe you just got lucky."  
  
"You were about to order the same thing, you know," she pointed out with a smirk of her   
own. She grinned as she saw him blink in realization, then grimace.  
  
"So you got me there," he muttered testily.  
  
Katrina smiled to herself as she walked alongside Minako and Ryoku. She was definitely   
enjoying herself today. Maybe she should arrange to do this with them more often....  
  
Her musings were cut short as she spotted something out of the corner of her eye. She   
paused for a moment and glanced toward that direction, searching for... anything.  
  
"Something wrong, Katrina-san?" Ryoku asked, stopping as well.  
  
"I thought I... saw something," she began slowly.  
  
"Like what?" Minako asked, glancing in the same direction that Katrina was staring.  
  
"I don't know," she replied, then shrugged. "It may've been nothing. I don't know."  
  
"Hmm...," Ryoku murmured, frowning. "I have a bad feeling.... Maybe I should go take a look   
any...." He cut off as a loud scream was heard in the distance.  
  
"It sounded like it came from that direction!" Katrina said as she pulled out her gun.  
  
"Right," Minako agreed. "Ryo-kun, let's go!"  
  
"Right behind you!" he said as he took off after Minako, pulling out his Star Sword as she   
pulled out her transformation pen.  
  
"Hey!" Katrina shouted as she started running after them. "Wait up!!!"  
  
"Moon Power Transform!"  
  
"Star Sword Power Transform!"  
  
Katrina tried to keep up, but Sailor V and Masked Knight were fast. Very fast. "Hey! Don't   
leave me behind!" she yelled indignantly.  
  
In response, Masked Knight glanced over his shoulder at her. "Hey, Venus, you go ahead," he   
told her. "I'll drop back and help Katrina-san catch up."  
  
Sailor V nodded. "Okay," she replied and kept running as he dropped back. She quickly   
turned a corner and jumped up to a stone wall, then sprung to the rooftop and hurried from   
there.  
  
Katrina stopped and watched in awe as Sailor V leaped to the rooftops and kept running.   
Masked Knight grinned at her, then nudged her with her elbow. "Come on, Katrina-san. We've   
got to hurry, since we're taking the long way."  
  
"Right," she agreed as they began to run again. "By the way, how will you know where   
Minako-chan...."  
  
"Sailor V," he corrected.  
  
"...Sailor V is?" she finished. "I take it you have some form of communication... unless   
you both really do think very much alike," she added teasingly.  
  
He grinned slightly as he brought out his communicator. "Here's how," he replied simply. "I   
made these myself... although the instructions were kinda difficult. They work well enough,   
though." Especially since he could contact Artemis back in Japan, but he wasn't about to   
tell her that.  
  
"Could you make me one?" she asked. "After all, it would be helpful, in case I'm not   
around."  
  
"I'd love to, but I can't," he told her. "I don't have the materials to make any more of   
them. Sure, a good deal of the parts can be bought from any electronics store, but the   
important parts were given to me from someone who's gone now. I wouldn't know where to get   
any more."  
  
"I see...," she said disappointedly. "Oh, well. I guess it can't be helped. Too bad."  
  
Just then, Masked Knight's communicator suddenly beeped. Sailor V's face appeared as he   
switched on the device. "Knight, Katrina, I found the person who screamed!" she said, her   
voice and expression urgent. "A woman. She had her energy drained, just like the others."  
  
"Any sign of the one responsible?" Masked Knight asked.  
  
"No, she's long gone," she replied, upset. "I lost her."  
  
"Chikuso...," he grumbled under his breath as he clenched a fist.  
  
"Do you think we should look around, in case she's still around?" Sailor V asked.  
  
"It might be a good idea," Katrina said. "Since I don't have a communicator, I'll stay with   
Ry... Masked Knight."  
  
"We'll stay in this area," he added.  
  
"I'll head in the direction I last saw her heading in," Sailor V told them. "I'll call you   
if I spot her."  
  
"Right," he replied with a nod. "Good luck."  
  
"You two be careful," she replied as she turned off the communicator. Masked Knight and   
Katrina shared a quick glance, then headed off to go search.  
  
**********************************************  
  
'That was close...,' the girl thought as she stepped out of the shadows. 'Sailor V almost   
caught me. I only had enough time to drain that one woman and I didn't even do a good job   
of it.' She grimaced to herself. 'Quartzite won't be very happy, but it's the best I can do   
right now. With Sailor V and Masked Knight hunting me, I can't do much else.'  
  
With a sigh, the girl went back into the shadows and disappeared. Within moments, she   
reappeared back inside the warehouse that Quartzite used as his base. There were times when   
she was surprised at how different he was from Danburite; Danburite wouldn't've used a   
warehouse as a base - it was beneath him. However, Quartzite really didn't give a damn   
where he based, as long as it was somewhere where he wouldn't be discovered by accident.   
All he cared about was his objectives, not where he stayed in between plans. That was one   
of the reasons why she preferred him as leader of the Dark Agency over Danburite... not   
that Danburite was a bad leader. Just not as good as Quartzite.  
  
"You're back so soon, Tempest?" he asked questioningly. "Something went wrong, I take it."   
That wasn't a question.  
  
"Sailor V interrupted me just before I could finish my first victim," she explained. "You   
remember what happened with Rikou. If I had stayed and fought back, I wouldn't have made   
it, being caught by surprise as I had, not to mention being in the middle of draining a   
human."  
  
Quartzite nodded silently with a deep frown on his face. "I'm disappointed that you were   
spotted so quickly, Tempest," he said after a long silence. "Still, you made the right   
decision. Right now, I don't have enough of you to spare losing any more because of the   
stupid foolishness that some would call bravery. Rikou was one of those fools."  
  
"I understand, Quartzite," she replied with a bow.  
  
"It's good that you do. At least you managed to get some energy. We have enough reserves at   
this point in time, so I want you to use the energy you gathered and infuse it into one of   
the others."  
  
"Infuse it?" she asked, curiously.  
  
"That's right. Give 'em a power boost. Enough so that, in case Sailor V or Masked Knight do   
show up, he or she can take those two out for good. Even though we can't waste resources on   
futile battles, we have to face them eventually." Quartzite paused as he regarded Tempest.   
"I want you to accompany whomever you choose, but do not take part in the battle. I want   
you to watch Sailor V and Masked Knight."  
  
"Watch them?"  
  
"For weaknesses. For anything we can exploit. I cannot afford to underestimate these two,   
lest my fate share that of Danburite's. I will not allow that. I will return to Queen Beryl   
a success. And I WILL become a General! Nothing will keep me from what is mine."  
  
Tempest bowed as she stepped into the shadows and disappeared again. Yes, he was definitely   
a better leader than Danburite. She had a good feeling about this new plan. She would find   
Sailor V's and Masked Knight's weaknesses, then they would die.  
  
It was time to get to work.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"So, did you two have fun?" Alan asked as Minako and Ryoku returned home.  
  
"You bet!" Minako answered cheerily in English as she winked at him, while Ryoku merely   
nodded.  
  
"Tell me about it," he asked, interested.  
  
"Okay," she replied as she took a seat in the middle of the couch in the living room. Ryoku   
sat to her right, at the end of the couch while, to her delight, Alan sat next to her, on   
her left. Ryoku took one look at Minako's expression and sighed to himself as he saw her   
slightly blushing.  
  
"You remember us telling you about our friend, Katrina, right?" she asked.  
  
"The Interpol officer," he replied. "I remember."  
  
"Well, today, she showed us around where she works, and took us out to lunch. She's   
promised to help us with our English."  
  
Alan frowned slightly, pretending to be hurt. "What about me?" he asked in a slighty pouty   
tone. "Why didn't you want to ask me to help you with your English?" he asked. "I'm very   
good at English, too, in case you forgot."  
  
"We didn't forget," Ryoku told him, resisting the urge to laugh at him. "We just forgot   
about it." He paused for a moment. "Anou.... That didn't come out right...."  
  
"Well, if you want, Alan, you could help us with our English, too," she said, smiling up at   
him.  
  
He grinned back down at her and Ryoku and nodded. "Well, of course, I'll help you both," he   
told them. "Remember, that's what I'm here for: to help you two. Anything that you need   
help with, don't hesitate to ask and I'll do my best to help you."  
  
"Oh, I'm so grateful to you, Alan," she said sweetly. At the other end of the couch,   
oblivious to both Minako or Alan, Ryoku gagged.  
  
"You say something, Ryo-kun?" Minako asked, looking at him.  
  
"Oh, nothing," he replied nonchalantly. "I didn't say a thing."  
  
**********************************************  
  
"So, you have no idea what it was that Boss gave you, Ryo-kun?" Minako asked after they had   
both gone to bed. She rolled over and peered down from over the edge of her bed down at   
Ryoku, who was laying down on the floor. He looked asleep. "Oh, I guess you're already   
asleep...."  
  
"Not really," he murmured quietly. "But, I was getting close to it."  
  
"Sumimasen, Ryo-kun," she said apologetically. "I didn't know. It was just that...."  
  
"...you couldn't sleep?" he asked.  
  
"Not after we couldn't find that girl who drained that poor woman's energy," she told him.  
  
"We searched everywhere, Minako-chan," he told her with a small yawn. "No sign of the girl.   
At least she didn't strike again after you chased her off."  
  
"That's what is worrying me," she admitted.  
  
"That it was too easy?" he asked as he sat up and looked her straight in the eye. "I know   
exactly how you feel. It's been worrying me all day. From what I remember, the Dark Agency   
has never acted like that."  
  
"Yeah, they usually put up a fight, at least."  
  
"The way I see it, this could mean one of two things, and I'm not sure I like either one,"   
he said grimly. "One, this might just be the beginning of an elaborate trap. If we believe   
that our enemy is becoming so scared of us that they will run and not fight, then we may   
become too lax, and the enemy will take us by surprise."  
  
"That makes sense," she said as she sat up, staring down at her blanket in worry. "What's   
the other thing, Ryo-kun?"  
  
"Two, their numbers are growing smaller because of us. They cannot afford to go all out   
with us until they have built their strength enough to prove a match for us." He glanced   
down at the floor, not meeting her gaze, for a long moment before he looked back up at her.   
"I have a feeling that the second reason may be the real one. But, it could as well be   
both."  
  
"It's getting more dangerous, isn't it?" she asked quietly. "This time, it's all or   
nothing, ne?"  
  
"All or nothing," he agreed with a solemn nod. "We could die, Minako-chan."  
  
"I'm not worried about that, Ryo-kun," she said with slightly more confidence then before.   
"After all, we've got each other. As long as we watch each other's backs, then we won't   
die."  
  
In the darkness, she could see him smile slightly as he shook his head. "I still wonder   
about how you do that," he said with a sigh.  
  
"Do what?" she asked, blinking in confusion at his sudden change in mood.  
  
"How you can make me feel like I'm always worrying over nothing important, and that   
everything will be all right in the end," he told her. "Thank you for making me feel   
better, Minako-chan."  
  
She slid the blanket off of her as she got out of bed and sat down on the floor next to him   
and smiled. "That's what partners are for, Ryo-kun," she replied as she reached out and   
hugged him. "You worry enough for both of us, you poor baka," she told him with a small   
laugh.  
  
He quietly hugged her back and for a long time they remained like that, comforting each   
other. "I worry because someone's got to be the responsible one," he said, grinning after   
they broke the embrace.  
  
"Hmph, see if I hug you again," she said, throwing her head back in mock irritation, then   
turning back to look at him again. "You never did answer my first question."  
  
He paused for a moment, trying to recall what she was talking about. "Oh, you mean those   
parts that Boss gave me in order to build our communicators?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah," she replied with a nod. "Do you have any idea of what they were?"  
  
"I'm not an electronics genius, Minako-chan," he replied dryly. "Maybe Amano-kun might   
know, but I can hardly ask him, you know?" He shrugged. "All I know is that Boss supplied   
those special parts to me and I don't know if I can find parts like those in just any   
electronics store."  
  
"Oh.... Too bad...."  
  
"It would've been useful if we could give Katrina one in case she finds any signs of   
attacks from the Dark Agency," he said and shrugged again. "Well, it can't be helped. We   
have to use what we can and deal with it." He paused as he frowned slightly.  
  
"What's wrong, Ryo-kun?" she asked.  
  
"Can't you feel it?" he asked, giving her a pointed look.  
  
She glanced in the direction that he was staring and concentrated. Suddenly, she could feel   
it, too. "Is that what I think it is?" she asked.  
  
"Trouble," he said as he moved to grab his Star Sword, while she reached for her   
transformation pen.  
  
"On the roof," she told him as she moved for the window, with him following right behind   
her.  
  
"Moon Power Transform!"  
  
"Star Sword Power Transform!"  
  
**********************************************  
  
Alan stirred and briefly woke up. He turned slightly in his bed so that he could see the   
window. It was still full dark. He wondered what it was that had woken him only for a brief   
second before he turned over again and tried to go back to sleep.  
  
He was hearing things. After all, no one would be on his roof at this time of night. It was   
probably just the wind he heard. Without a second thought, he went back to sleep.  
  
**********************************************  
  
Tempest grinned from within the shadows as Sousha dashed from one victim to the next,   
rapidly draining each human faster than she had ever seen in her life. She grinned to   
herself at her wise choice at infusing her with the human's energy that she had gathered.   
Even though the boost would be temporary, already they were making up for the lost and more.  
  
Another of her good ideas was that, this time, they would gather energy at night. After   
some thought on her part, she had realized that a great deal of the attacks that the Dark   
Agency had done in the past were during the day, when Sailor V and Masked Knight were   
likely awake. If they were asleep, she would not only have more time to take care of   
business, but there was a small possibility that they would also be too sleepy to fight.   
That was a small possibility, indeed, but it was better than nothing.  
  
She had long since altered Sousha's energy gathering ability so that whenever she gathered   
a human's energy, she kept a small portion for herself so that the temporary boost to her   
speed and strength would last for a long time. Even if she stopped taking in human energy,   
the energy she had collected so far would sustain her for at least four days more.  
  
The street was already littered with the bodies of humans with their energy drained   
completely. More humans were fleeing the street, hoping to get away before Sousha caught   
them as well, but she was so much faster than any of them. They could not escape.  
  
Sousha was about to take down another human when something flew down from overhead and   
struck the ground in front of her, causing her to come to an abrupt halt. As she glanced   
upward to see who might have thrown the sword that was now sticking up from the street, two   
figures came down at her from overhead, simultaneously striking her with a kick to the   
head. She sailed through the air until she struck hard against one of the lamp posts on the   
opposite side of the street, denting the metal. The human male that would've been the next   
victim scrambled to his feet and fled as fast as he could run.  
  
Tempest grimaced to herself. Sailor V and Masked Knight. Well, it wasn't like she wasn't   
expecting them, but it still rankled her that they had come to interrupt her energy   
gathering plans. She was doing so well until they appeared.... At least, now she would be   
able to see if a powered up Sousha would be able to take them both out. And if it was   
necessary, she would only be too happy to give her some help from the sidelines....  
  
"Hey, you're not the one I chased off earlier!" Sailor V said, frowning. "I was sure that   
she was the one responsible for this...."  
  
"Doesn't matter," Masked Knight said as he picked up his sword. "We'll just have to take   
care of this problem instead."  
  
"You think so?" Sousha asked, grinned confidently. "You're welcome to try. You got lucky   
with that sword; I wasn't expecting it. Now, just try and touch me," she said tauntingly.   
"I dare you."  
  
Masked Knight frowned darkly. "Oh, really?" he asked quietly. "Don't be so cocky. That'll   
be your downfall."  
  
"Hah!" she laughed. "Empty words. Come," she said mockingly. "Fight me, if you dare."  
  
"That's enough!" Sailor V shouted. "Attacking all these innocent people who are just trying   
to get to where they're going, or taking late night walks. I forbid it!"  
  
"You stand there in all your arrogance, taunting and mocking us," Knight added angrily. "I   
will not tolerate this!"  
  
"Codename: Sailor V! The sailor-suited beautiful soldier of justice, Sailor Venus!"  
  
"Codename: Masked Knight! The sailor-suited handsome soldier of justice, Sailor Knight!"  
  
Sousha grinned maliciously as she regarded them with barely hidden contempt. "I'm stronger   
than you think I am," she said. "All those that you have faced do not compare to me.   
Tonight, you shall die."  
  
Before either Sailor V or Masked Knight could say anything else, Sousha quickly leaped into   
action, rushing at them with an incredible speed. She slammed an elbow into Knight's   
stomach before he could recover from his shock, sending him flying through the air and into   
a brick wall. He hit the wall so hard that his head bounced back violently before he hit   
the ground face first.  
  
"Knight!" Sailor V gasped before Sousha's foot connected with her head, knocking her   
backwards several feet. She hit the ground just as hard as her partner did.  
  
Sousha grinned as she strode toward Sailor V, but quickly dodged to the left as she heard   
Knight's Star Sword whistling through the air, coming straight at her. She turned around   
and blocked his punch at her head. He quickly followed that attack with more punches and   
kicks, but she just swatted them away with so much ease.  
  
"Crescent Beam!" she heard Sailor V shout behind her. She whirled around and threw up her   
arms over her, calling up her temporary new powers to shield her from the attack. The   
shield held, but she felt slightly drained from using it. Of course, the foot to the back   
of the head that Knight gave her after she blocked the attack didn't help matters any.  
  
"Earth Thrust!" he shouted, following up his prior attack. By then, Sousha recovered enough   
to quickly dodge the attack. Now that she was steady on her feet again, she decided to go   
back on the offensive.  
  
"Look out, Venus!" Knight shouted as Sousha leaped at her with one hand outstretched toward   
her. She was gathering some of her new energy into her hand and preparing to fire it at   
Sailor V.  
  
"Dash Shot!" Sousha yelled as she fired a gray ball of energy at Sailor V. She dodged the   
attack, but she was expecting that. She hit the ground before the ball of energy did, then   
dashed straight at Sailor V, letting herself go through her own energy ball as she went.   
The ball of gray energy surrounded her, then reformed into a curving wall off energy that   
bent with the speed that she sped toward Sailor V. She then cocked back her right hand and   
swung at Sailor V, connecting her fist with Sailor V's chest. The energy rapidly surged   
into her fist, adding power to her attack and sending her flying through the air again at a   
dangerous speed.  
  
"Venus!" Knight shouted concernedly as he sped toward Sailor V, putting himself in her   
flight path. He left her crash into him, which took him off his feet as they both slammed   
into a parked car on the far end of the other side of the street. The car's front end was   
dented almost beyond repair, while Sailor V and Masked Knight moaned in pain.  
  
"Knight...," Sailor V moaned weakily. "You... all right?"  
  
"I'm still alive," he replied just as weakly.  
  
"Thanks," she told him as she slowly pushed herself off of him and turned to help him up   
from the wreckage, then turned to look at Sousha.  
  
"She's too fast!" she exclaimed in frustration as she turned to Knight. "How can we defeat   
her if we can barely hit her?"  
  
"Exactly!" Sousha shouted triumphantly. "With this power boost that Mistress Tempest gave   
me, I am invincible!"  
  
"Tempest?" both Sailor V and Masked Knight said curiously as they glanced at each other.  
  
From within the shadows, Tempest smacked her forehead in vexation. Stupid Sousha! Stupid!   
Stupid! Stupid!!! Why was it that when it came to subordinates, the more power one had, the   
stupider they would get? Next time, she would have to choose one with a little more   
intelligence.  
  
"That must've been the girl that I chased off earlier today!" Sailor V exclaimed. "So,   
she's here, too?"  
  
'Uh-oh,' Tempest thought as she noticed that Masked Knight was now staring towards any   
likely hiding places for any sign of her. 'Damn. I can't have them finding me now....   
Wait....' She paused as she took a good look at Masked Knight. 'Strange.... He sort of   
looks like someone I've met before.... No. Couldn't be him. Never mind.' With that thought,   
and with a last quick glance at Masked Knight, she slowly sank into the shadows and   
disappeared.  
  
"There," Knight said, pointing toward the shadows where Tempest had previously been. "I saw   
some movement there. That's probably where she was watching us from." His eyes narrowed for   
a moment. 'I wish I could've gotten a better look at her. She almost looked... familiar.'  
  
Sousha blinked for a moment as she looked towards the shadows that Tempest had been   
watching from. "Mistress Tempest? Why'd you leave so suddenly? Didn't you wanna see me   
crush them?"  
  
Knight took advantage of Sousha's inattentiveness and fired another attack. "Earth Thrust!"   
he shouted, then started running.  
  
Sousha glanced up to see the stone spike rushing towards her. She reflexively crossed her   
arms in front of her, letting the spike crash against the shield that she had called up and   
break away into nothing.  
  
As she was blocking the attack, she felt something collide with her head and left shoulder.   
Before she could turn her head, she bumped against the brick wall of the building next to   
her and heard something smash into the wall next to her head. She tried to turn her head to   
see what it was, but found that she couldn't move her head. Out of the corner of her eye,   
she could see Masked Knight grinning at her as he leaped off of her shoulder.  
  
"Oyasumi nasai," Knight said smugly as he nodded toward Sailor V, who nodded back in reply.   
Sousha tried to move, but found herself pinned to the wall by Knight's Star Sword.  
  
"No," she gasped as she poured all the power she could muster into her shield. "I am   
invincible! Mistress Tempest made me invincible! You cannot defeat me!!!"  
  
"Crescent Beam!"  
  
"Earth Thrust!"  
  
Both attacks combined into one powerful attack that slammed into the shield. Since Sousha   
had poured all of her power into the shield, she immediately felt completely drained.  
  
"I am... invincible...," she whispered faintly as she slowly began to crumple to the   
ground. The sword stuck through her hair was the only thing keeping her from collapsing   
completely. "The power boost... she gave me... made me... invincible...."   
  
"That's what you get for relying on something that wasn't even yours to begin with," Sailor   
V told her.  
  
"What you thought made you invincible has only made you weaker," Knight added.  
  
"I can... still win," Sousha growled as she raised her hand. "Dash shot!"  
  
"Crescent Beam!"  
  
"Earth Thrust!"  
  
The two attacks collided between them, but the combined attack of Sailor V and Masked   
Knight pushed through and struck her. Completely destroyed, her body quickly crumbled into   
dust.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"So, that's it?" Quartzite asked flatly. "All that power, and that is the result?"  
  
Tempest winced. Quartzite wasn't yelling at her, but his tone of voice was enough for her   
to wish that he would yell at her. His quiet tone reminded her too much of the silence that   
usually preceeds a massive explosion. It was ominous. She should be used to that tone of   
voice by now, though....  
  
"I'm sorry," she said penitently. "I should've used someone with at least some measure of   
intelligence...."  
  
"No matter."  
  
Tempest let out the breath she hadn't known she had been holding. So, she wasn't going to   
be punished? What a relief.  
  
"Sousha managed to gather a huge amount of energy, Tempest," he continued, turning from her   
to gaze outside into the night sky. "More than most of the others. Think of what we can   
accomplish if we continue to use this tactic, or better yet, if we refine this tactic.  
  
"True, Sousha was an idiot, but she was powerful. Think of what could've been accomplished   
if her power was balanced with an appropriate measure of intelligence.   
  
"Our numbers may only be just enough to require a second hand to count all of them, but   
even if they all fall just as Sousha did, as long as they gather the same amount of energy   
as she did at the least, then our goal will be accomplished. We can return to Japan,   
knowing that we've given Queen Beryl a huge boost to her operations there."  
  
"But you would rather that we destroy Sailor V and Masked Knight first before our return,   
right, Quartzite?" Tempest said.  
  
"That goes without saying," he replied with a frown, then turned to regard her   
thoughtfully. "Tempest, you of all people should know that. I practically raised you as my   
own daughter. You should know that I would do anything to secure my rise to the venerable   
rank of Dark Kingdom General." He turned away to stare outside again, giving the stars a   
contemplative scrutiny.  
  
"Quartzite, I thought I recognized who Masked Knight was."  
  
Quartzite whirled back to stare at her. "What?"  
  
Tempest jumped back, startled at his reaction. "I'm not completely sure - it may just be my   
imagination - but, I thought Masked Knight looked like someone I knew a long time ago."  
  
"From your old life?" he prompted questioningly.  
  
"Yes...," she began hesitently. "From my old life as Hisakawa Keiko."  
  
"What's his name?" he asked.  
  
"I don't know if it's really him, but...." She sighed and shook her head in resignation.   
"His name is Kino Ryoku. I used to know him and his sister, Makoto, from my old boarding   
school."  
  
"Kino Ryoku?" Quartzite repeated, saying the name as if it sounded familiar to him.  
  
"I think you may remember him, too," she added. "Remember the boy you fought before you   
brought me to Queen Beryl to become Tempest?"  
  
Quartzite's eyes widened in recognition. "Him?" he said, grinning widely.  
  
"Like I said, Quartzite," she quickly put in, "I only said he LOOKED like him! I didn't say   
it was him."  
  
He nodded thoughtfully at that. "Still, this may prove to be both useful and troublesome,"   
he said. "If it is Kino Ryoku, and he recognizes you, he will more than likely come looking   
for you. I can't have that right now."  
  
"Next time I face Sailor V and Masked Knight, I'll be sure to disguise myself," Tempest   
told him.  
  
"Good," he said, turning to leave the warehouse. "Remember," he said, pausing just before   
he exited, "you are no longer Hisakawa Keiko. You are Tempest. If he is Ryoku, you must   
kill him all the same."  
  
Tempest stood staring at the doorway for a long time after Quartzite left. "If it is   
Ryo-chan," she whispered to herself, "I don't know if I can kill him...."  
  
**********************************************  
  
Disclaimer: All original materials belong to their respective owners. Sailor Moon belongs   
to Naoko Takeuchi and a bunch of big companies. No copyright infringement is intended. This   
story belongs me, so I would appreciate it very much if you would ask for permission before   
posting it anywhere else. Thank you.  
  
The Question and all stories included are:  
Copyright © July 6, 2001 Jason C. Ulloa.   
All Rights Reserved. 


	17. Chapter 16

Alone No More: Minako's Story  
by Jason C. Ulloa  
  
  
Chapter 16  
  
"You two STILL asleep?" Alan asked as he opened the door to their room and glanced inside   
at the two slumbering occupants of the room.  
  
"We're tired, Alan...," Ryoku muttered semi-coherently as he rolled over and tried to go   
back to sleep.  
  
"Come on, Alan," Minako muttered just as wearily as she shifted under her bed covers,   
trying to find a more comfortable position that would let her instantly drift back to   
sleep. "It's Saturday...."  
  
"Saturday afternoon," he said, giving the two of them a flat look. "What did you two do   
yesterday to get so tired? Or, did you two stay up late last night?"  
  
"She had problems sleeping, so we stayed up talking until she finally did fall asleep,"   
Ryoku explained as he sat up. "What time is it?"  
  
"12:30pm," he told them, nodding. "Let me guess. Homesickness?"  
  
"Kinda. She was wondering how her parents were doing, and Hikaru-chan, and her cat,   
Artemis." He paused for a moment. "I guess it doesn't affect me very much, since all I have   
is Mako-chan, and I know she can take care of herself."  
  
"Mako-chan?"  
  
"My sister, Makoto," he explained.  
  
"Just your sister?" Alan asked. "What about your parents?"  
  
"Dead," he said quietly.  
  
Alan just looked at Ryoku for a moment before deciding to speak again. "I'm sorry. I didn't   
mean to bring up any unpleasant memories...."  
  
"Don't worry about it. I'm already used to not having them around. I still have Mako-chan,   
and I still have my fond memories of them. That helps, even though I still get sad every   
now and then." He paused and shook his head sadly. "Hey, Alan. Once Sleeping Beauty, over   
here," he said, nodding toward the still sleeping Minako, "wakes up, why don't the three of   
us go out for the day? I think she'd really like that."  
  
"Hmm.... Not a bad idea," Alan said, nodding. "A picnic in the park, perhaps? Sounds good.   
I'll start getting everything ready." He paused as he glanced down at Minako. "You sure   
she'll be up sometime soon?" he asked jokingly.  
  
"Hai," Ryoku said with a nod. "I just have to find where I put my high explosives and   
she'll be up in no time."  
  
Alan blinked in confusion for a moment until he realized that Ryoku was only joking.   
"Right...," he said with a laugh. "Well, if you'll excuse me...." With that, he turned and   
left, chuckling softly to himself.  
  
"But I was serious...," Ryoku said before shrugging and standing up. He quickly rolled his   
blankets up and set them out of the way before getting his clothes out of the dresser and   
leaving to go change. Before he left, he saw that Minako was still asleep. Perhaps now   
would be a good time to contact Artemis. After all, he didn't get the chance to do so   
yesterday since she was having trouble sleeping, not to mention the Dark Agency. Well,   
Artemis would understand.  
  
Once he was in the bathroom, he closed the door, turned on the shower, got undressed,   
showered, turned it off and got out. As he reached for the towel, he also turned on the   
communicator. As he dried himself, a tired Artemis answered his call.  
  
"Nan desu ka?" the white cat murmured sleepily.  
  
"Gomen, Artemis," Ryoku said apologetically. "Were you asleep?"  
  
"I was," he replied groggily. "I was having a pleasant dream about.... Well, that doesn't   
matter. I was waiting for you to contact me. What happened?"  
  
"Dark Agency attack last night," he replied. "Minako-chan and I took care of it, as usual."  
  
"I see," he said understandingly. "Anyway, I've got some news for you. Luna's found her   
third Sailor Senshi."  
  
"Already?" he asked, his eyebrow raised in astonishment. "That was fast. Who's the new one?"  
  
"Sailor Mars."  
  
"Okay, so we have a Moon, a Mercury and a Mars," he said, thinking out loud. "Minako-chan's   
Venus, I'm Sailor Knight.... Na, Artemis... how many Senshi do we have left to search for?"  
  
"Right now, just Sailor Jupiter," he told him.  
  
Ryoku nodded thoughtfully. "One more, then. How're the others holding up?"  
  
"The others...? Oh, you mean the other Senshi. So far, they seem to be doing well enough   
against the Dark Kingdom, however, they are gravely inexperienced at fighting and Luna   
tells me that Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars don't get along too well."  
  
"That doesn't sound too good," he said thoughtfully as he lowered his towel after quickly   
drying himself off. He frowned contemplatively as he wrapped the towel around himself.   
"Well, I guess we'd better hurry up here, then. It sounds like you may need us sooner than   
you think."  
  
"Any news on your end?"  
  
"Not much new, Artemis," he replied. "The attacks are slowing. I'm getting the impression   
that the enemy is desperate. I think we've pretty much almost finished them off." He paused   
for a moment as a stray thought flashed through his mind. A memory of seeing someone in the   
shadows; someone who looked very familiar.  
  
"Somehow, Artemis, I have a very bad feeling - almost like a premonition - that something   
terrible is looming just out of out sight," he added pensively.  
  
"Are you sure, Ryoku?" Artemis asked with a touch of concern.  
  
"I don't know." He chuckled slightly, despite how he was feeling. "Maybe I'm just becoming   
worrisome... like someone I know."  
  
"I'm not amused in the slightest," the white cat muttered irritatedly. "At any rate, all I   
can say is that I hope you both be careful, if your... premonition turns out to be more   
than just a bad feeling. I know you'll both look out for each other. I'll be sure to let   
you know when Luna has found Sailor Jupiter, if she doesn't before you both come back. As   
for me, I'm going to go back to sleep. I've got a few more hours until I have to contact   
Luna to give her my latest findings on the Dark Kingdom's activities."  
  
"How is the situation with the Dark Kingdom, Artemis?" Ryoku asked gravely. "Is what we're   
doing here having any noticeable effects?"  
  
"None that I can see, but it's certainly better than the alternative, Ryoku."  
  
"That, I know," he agreed as he reached for his communicator. "Thank you, Artemis. I will   
keep you updated." He pushed a button and the connection was terminated. He then quickly   
got dressed and exited the bathroom.  
  
From outside the bedroom, there was the soft sound of a pillow hitting something, followed   
by the subsequent sounds of indignant, yet muffled, exclamations of irritation.   
  
Now, Minako was awake.  
  
**********************************************  
  
Tempest sighed to herself. The more she thought over last night's encounter, the more   
convinced she was that Masked Knight was Ryoku. But, she couldn't be completely sure yet;   
especially since she still had some feelings for him left over from her old life as Keiko.  
  
She left the room where the few remaining warriors that they had salvaged from Danburite's   
tenure as leader of the Dark Agency were sleeping. It was a sad sight; a mere remnant   
remained of their organization - a scant handful at best! - and it seemed as though they   
were in a dire situation. Thanks to Sailor V and Masked Knight, all that remained of the   
Dark Agency was herself, Quartzite, Kage, Jade, Majutsushi, and Chimei.  
  
Six. Only six left.  
  
Tempest exited the building and glanced over toward the warehouse. Quartzite was more than   
likely working on something for the next attack. He had already sent all the energy that   
they had gathered up until now back to Queen Beryl since she was starting to grow   
impatient. They had delayed sending the usual harvest until now since they had used a good   
deal of their initial gathering on empowering Sousha in that short-lived, yet partially   
successful experiment. At least she had learned from the mistakes she had made.  
  
Unbidden, her mind drifted back toward the problem of Masked Knight. How could she find out   
his true identity? How could she do that without Sailor V getting in the way? That girl she   
had no qualms about killing. Sailor V had been a menace since day one. If it wasn't for her   
there wouldn't've been any Masked Knight, and she wouldn't be going through this mental and   
emotional anguish over the possibility of having to kill someone who might have been her   
lost love.  
  
Damn her.  
  
A quick glance inside the warehouse showed that Quartzite wouldn't likely be leaving any   
time soon. Her mind made up she turned and headed toward an ordinary looking stand-up   
mirror. She had brought it because there might've been a slight possibility that she   
would've needed to go out in disguise. After meeting Masked Knight in person... sort of...   
the possibility had become a reality. That, and she just liked the mirror; it was very   
pretty, in an almost plain sort of way. It wasn't very ornate; the metal was gold-colored   
- she highly doubted it was gold - and there was a very simple design etched into the metal.  
  
She turned toward the mirror and concentrated. She made her image grow to a height almost   
matching Ryoku's and shortened her hair to just slightly past shoulder length. Her eye and   
hair color definitely had to change; Ryoku would recognize her if she kept her red hair and   
hazel eyes. After going through one hair color and shade after another, she finally decided   
on a bluish shade of black with ashy gray eyes.  
  
She smiled slightly; it was no coincidence that she chose an eye color similar to Ryoku's.   
Maybe.... If Masked Knight WAS Ryoku, maybe she could convince him to join their side. He   
was a good fighter and Queen Beryl needed all the good fighters she could get. After all,   
from what she had seen when she had left with those who would make up the Dark Agency,   
there wasn't a lot of skillful fighters in Beryl's ranks. The youma seemed to be mostly   
concerned with power, but as Sousha demonstrated, power can only take you so far.   
Furthermore, if she did manage to convince him, she could have her love fighting by her   
side. The one regret that she had after becoming Tempest was that she had thought that she   
would never be able to see Ryoku again.  
  
'Maybe we were destined to be together,' she thought with a smile as she examined her new   
appearance. She had also slightly altered her facial features so that Ryoku wouldn't   
recognize her, even if he was standing in front of her and looking her straight in the   
eyes. 'I hope he still remembers me....'  
  
Seeing her eager, childish grin in the mirror, she quickly composed herself. She still did   
not have proof that Ryoku and Masked Knight were one and the same, so she shouldn't be   
getting her hopes up like that.  
  
"Well, whether he is or he isn't," she said, mentally preparing herself for the task at   
hand, "there's only one way to find out for sure." With one last glance back at Quartzite,   
she vanished from sight.  
  
Quartzite's eyes momentarily lifted up from what he was doing and glanced toward the mirror   
before returning as a small, almost invisible frown slightly curved his lips.  
  
**********************************************  
  
As Ryoku and Alan started setting up the items for their picnic, Minako took the   
opportunity to go exploring the park. She had been so excited about spending the day on a   
picnic with Alan - and Ryoku, too, of course - that she had completely forgotten the name   
of the park Alan had taken them to. Not that it really mattered, though.  
  
The wind blowing through the magnificent, tall trees made a soothing rustling sound as she   
watched the branches, each filled with many different shades of green and yellow, sway back   
and forth as if dancing to an unheard melody drifting upon the breeze. She closed her eyes   
as she felt the breeze blow across and caress her face, and sighed contentedly.  
  
"Nature's grace in its most elegant form, wouldn't you agree, Minako-chan?" she heard a   
voice say behind her. She opened her eyes and turned around to find Katrina standing behind   
her. The older woman was wearing a comfortable looking light green blouse and blue jeans.   
There was a small book in her left hand.  
  
"Oh, hi, Katrina-oneesan!" she greeted cheerily.  
  
Katrina smiled. So, it was 'oneesan' now, was it? "You seem to be in a very good mood   
today."  
  
"Un!" Minako said emphatically with a nod of her head. "I'm going on a picnic with Alan and   
Ryo-kun!" she told her. "Alan is the guy who's looking after us while we're here in London."  
  
"I see," Katrina said with a grin. "Sounds like fun."  
  
"Say, what're you doing here, Katrina-oneesan?" she asked.  
  
"Well, since it's the weekend, I figured I'd spend a relaxing afternoon outside," Katrina   
explained, gesturing toward the trees waving in the light breeze. "It's a perfect day to   
spend reading a good book in the shade of one of these trees.... Or, to have a picnic," she   
added with a wink at Minako.  
  
"Oi, Minako-chan!" Minako heard Ryoku call out to her. "You gonna eat or what? You were the   
one complaining about being hungry, so come and eat!"  
  
Minako sweatdropped as she turned back toward where the others were at. "Coming!" she   
called back, then turned back toward Katrina. "Ne, Katrina, why don't you join us?" she   
suggested.  
  
"Well, I don't know...," Katrina said with slight hesitation.  
  
"Come on, Katrina-oneesan," she urged pleadingly. "You can at least meet Alan and say hi to   
Ryo-kun."  
  
"All right," Katrina conceded with a small grin. "I'll go say hi to them.  
  
"By the way, Minako-chan," she said as she followed her, "did you and Ryo-kun ever manage   
to take care of that one from the Dark Agency that we were chasing yesterday?"  
  
Minako's steps slowed as she lowered her voice so that only Katrina could hear. "We took   
care of her last night. It was a total surprise; usually they attack during the day, so   
they can gather energy, but...." She trailed off uncertainly.  
  
"Now you're concerned about this change in tactics?" she asked.  
  
"Last night, before the attack, Ryo-kun and I were discussing the recent changes that we've   
noticed in the Dark Agency," she explained. "He made a lot of good points that kinda worry   
me, but we're both hoping that it's nothing too important." She shrugged as she grinned at   
Katrina. "Enough about that. We'd better hurry or Ryo-kun's gonna be really upset...."  
  
"Too late," Katrina said as she pointed toward where Alan was sitting with an apologetic   
look on his face as he shrugged his shoulders. Ryo-kun, on the other hand, was standing   
with his arms crossed, frowning.  
  
"You complain about being hungry almost the entire way here, then you go and keep us   
waiting," he said flatly. "Would it be too difficult to make up your mind and stick with   
one, Minako-chan?"  
  
"Gomen, Ryo-kun," Minako said, bowing contritely. "I met up with Katrina-oneesan back there   
and we were talking, so I guess I just forgot about being hungry."  
  
His scowl vanished immediately. "Oh. Okay," he said, shrugging it off. He then turned to   
Katrina and grinned. "So good to see you again, Katrina-san."  
  
"Good to see you, too, Ryo-kun," she replied, smiling.  
  
Minako grinned as she jogged over to where Alan was sitting and tugged on his arm, pulling   
him to his feet.  
  
"Hey! Come on, Minako-chan!" Alan said laughingly as he was dragged to his feet.  
  
"Alan, I want you to meet a friend of mine," she said as she led him toward Katrina. He   
glanced toward Katrina and smiled in embarrassment as he rubbed the back of his head in   
chagrin. "Alan, this is Katrina Nagashi."  
  
"Nice to meet you," Alan said, still smiling. Katrina laughed quietly to herself as she   
smiled back.  
  
"Katrina-oneesan," Minako said, continuing with the second half of the introductions, "this   
is Alan Nelson. Ryo-kun and I are staying with him while we are here in London."  
  
"Ah, you're the 'Alan' I keep hearing about from Minako-chan," she said, grinning at him.  
  
"Oh, so Minako-chan's been talking about me, hmm?" Alan asked, smirking at Minako as he   
raised an eyebrow, making her blush slightly. "Nothing bad, I hope?"  
  
Minako almost jumped as she felt something tap her on the shoulder. It was Ryoku, smirking   
as he handed her a sandwich. She frowned at him, silently daring him to say something, but   
he just kept smirking at he started on the sandwich he had grabbed for himself.  
  
She sighed as she bit into the sandwich Ryoku had handed her. He would have to rub it in,   
wouldn't he? Well, at least Alan wasn't upset about it; in fact, he seemed almost... amused   
by it. She glanced back toward Alan and Katrina to see that they were already engaged in   
conversation.  
  
'Looks like Katrina-oneesan isn't going to leave right away,' she thought as she took   
another bite of the sandwich.  
  
"Alan, Katrina-san, aren't you two going to eat?" Ryoku asked pointedly as he gestured   
toward the food he was now sitting beside. "We can talk while we eat."  
  
"Oh, sorry," Alan replied. "Are you going to join us? Ryo-kun and I made more than enough,   
if you care to join us." He then went to go sit down as well.  
  
"Come on, Katrina-san," Ryoku said, gesturing for her to sit down with them. "While we eat,   
you and Alan can give us some English lessons, if you both don't mind."  
  
"You'll join us, won't you, Katrina-oneesan?" Minako asked as she sat down next to Alan and   
opposite of Ryoku.  
  
"Oh, all right," she relented, as she walked over and sat down between Ryoku and Minako,   
and sitting opposite of Alan. "So, what's to eat?" she asked in English. She gave both   
Minako and Ryoku a look that made them groan.  
  
Alan grinned as he caught on. Much to Minako's and Ryoku's dismay, the rest of the picnic   
was held entirely in English. Fortunately, Alan and Katrina were more than happy to supply   
them with the proper Japanese equivalent when they got stuck, but it was still hard going.  
  
'On the bright side, at least my English is improving,' Minako thought later on, even   
though all that English was giving her the beginning of a headache.  
  
**********************************************  
  
Tempest stopped, folded her arms, and kept her frustration firmly in check, lest she lash   
out at a nearby building and make a few cracks in its walls. She had been searching for   
hours, yet she had found no sign of anyone who looked remotely like Masked Knight or Ryoku.   
She wished that there wasn't so many people around, but without them, she couldn't drain   
their energy to give to Quartzite....  
  
'Now, that's an idea,' she thought to herself as she grinned to herself. Since she was out   
and about, she might as well start draining some humans. But first, she had to disguise   
herself again. After all, if she was going to use this disguise to look for Ryoku, she   
couldn't let it be connected with the Dark Agency or else she'd be easily recognized by   
Sailor V and Masked Knight, even in their civilian identities. But what kind of disguise   
would she use? Maybe....  
  
She grinned as she remembered something that she heard from Quartzite a long time ago. He   
said that sometimes the best way to catch someone off guard was to do something that was   
not only unexpected, but impossible. When she asked him to explain what he meant by that,   
he merely chuckled condesendingly and smirked saying that she should know what he meant   
better than anyone else. She still didn't know what he meant by that, but after thinking   
about it, she at least got a good idea of what he meant by the unexpected and the   
impossible.  
  
After making her way toward an area where there was no one around to observe her, she   
quickly changed her appearance to that of Fluorite's. Now, even if Sailor V and Masked   
Knight did catch her, they would be caught be surprise at seeing the impossible: Fluorite   
come back to life. That would certainly give her an edge, but she could only use that   
element of surprise once... and only for a limited amount of time. That was another lesson   
that she had learned from Quartzite. Surprise lasts only so long, so when she had the   
opportunity, she had to strike hard and fast.  
  
Hopefully, it wouldn't have to come to that so soon, before she had a chance to check out   
Masked Knight.  
  
Disguise ready, she left her secluded area and set out to find her first victim....  
  
**********************************************  
  
"That was great, Alan," Minako said cheerily after everything was cleared from the ground   
and packed up in preparation to leave. "You and Ryo-kun made some good food!"  
  
"Thank you, Minako-chan," Alan said with a laugh. "It's nice to hear complements about my   
meals." Ryoku merely shrugged off his complements.  
  
"I agree with Minako-chan," Katrina added. "I thoroughly enjoyed myself and the food."  
  
Alan smiled at Katrina and bowed his head slightly. "Why, thank you. I appreciate the   
complement and I was more than glad to have you here with us."  
  
"It was fun," Ryoku added. "Maybe we should do this again sometime."  
  
"Hai!" Minako added eagerly. "With Katrina-oneesan, too! That is, if you don't mind,   
Katrina-oneesan?"  
  
"Well, I don't see why not," Katrina replied thoughtfully, glancing toward the sky with a   
finger on her chin in contemplation. "Sure, that would be nice."  
  
"How about tomorrow?" Alan asked. "Around 10am at the amusement park?"  
  
"The amusement park?" Katrina asked, while Ryoku and Minako glanced at each other in   
surprise and mouthed the words 'amusement park' to each other eagerly. "Sounds like fun.   
All right, it's a date."  
  
"Date?" Minako asked, blinking in confusion.  
  
"Just a figure of speech, Minako-chan," she explained with an amused laugh.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Well, see you tomorrow, then," she said as she turned to leave, waving goodbye as she left.  
  
"You two have a very interesting friend," Alan said as he watched Katrina leave.  
  
"She is, isn't she?" Ryoku agreed as he picked up half of the picnic stuff and started   
carrying them to the car.  
  
"We're really going to an amusement park tomorrow?" Minako asked excitedly.  
  
"Why not?" he asked, shrugging. "I figured that that would be the best place for the four   
of us to spend a day of fun." His grin widened suddenly. "And maybe I'll convince Katrina   
to not make you two spend the day speaking English." He paused for a second in thought as   
he bent down to gather the other half of the picnic things. "Well, maybe not the whole   
day," he amended.  
  
"Alan!" she said bleatingly.  
  
"Oh, don't be so upset," he chided. "You and Ryoku do need the English practice. Not only   
that, but you two have been improving in your English dramatically since Katrina and I have   
been drilling you two in the language nonstop." He grinned softly. "Just think,   
Minako-chan. If we keep up this level of progress, you and Ryo-kun will be speaking English   
on the same level as quite a few English teachers back in Japan. Well, maybe not as   
fluently, but you two will be able to hold your own well enough."  
  
"You really think so?" she asked, smiling fawningly at him.  
  
"Yes, I do," he said simply as he headed off for the car.  
  
"Alan...," Minako murmured happily as she blushed.  
  
"Oi!" Ryoku grumbled as he grabbed Minako by the arm and started pulling her after him.   
"Come on, Minako-chan, before we leave you behind!" He sighed to himself in vexation at   
having to deal with the lingering effects of the Aino Minako crush. 'Why'd it have to be   
Alan, anyway?' he mentally grumbled to himself. 'Couldn't it've happened to one of the boys   
at school, at least? I wouldn't have to deal with it so often, then.'  
  
**********************************************  
  
Katrina walked down the street, humming happily to herself. The book in her right hand had   
been almost forgotten earlier, but there were other times she could read it. Today, she had   
the most splendid time with Minako-chan, Ryo-kun, and Alan.  
  
In fact, she was exceedingly grateful for Minako-chan introducing her to Alan. That man was   
very interesting. He had an excellent command of both English and Japanese, and didn't have   
that horrid English accent that she still had some difficulty understanding from time to   
time. Not only that, but his Japanese almost sounded like he was a Japanese native...   
Osaka, maybe? Tokyo? His accent was kind of jumbled, as if he was speaking with two   
different dialects. Maybe he just learned Japanese from two different teachers with   
different dialects.  
  
After talking with Alan for a while, she had found that he had a very friendly personality,   
which she found easy to be around. He made he feel comfortable, so it was easy to talk with   
him. They had discussed a wide range of topics: her job, his job, his having to deal with   
taking care of Minako-chan and Ryo-kun - Ryo-kun chuckled as Minako-chan became a little   
miffed when Alan joked about how hard it was taking care of an overly enthusiastic girl   
like her - and other miscellenious topics. She almost felt guilty; she and Alan had almost   
monopolized the entire conversation, talking to each other, instead of talking with   
Minako-chan and Ryo-kun as well.  
  
Almost.  
  
And to be completely honest, he was kind of cute.  
  
Well, she was definitely looking forward to tomorrow. Perhaps she could try to get to know   
Alan a little bit better as well....  
  
Her pleasant reflections were cut short as she heard a scream nearby, suddenly cut short.   
Without thinking, she quickly turned in the direction of the scream and ran toward it. A   
few moments after she started running, she realized that if it reason for the scream was   
what she thought it was, then she wouldn't be able to do much good without her firearm.  
  
'It's times like these that I wished I followed their advice and carried my gun with me at   
all times,' she mentally grumbled to herself as she ran, despite being unarmed. 'I'm only   
going to read my book in the park. I don't need a gun to read my book under a tree in the   
park. Well, you baka, this is exactly WHY you should carry your gun at all times. Mou!' She   
glanced behind her for a moment before turning the corner, looking for two particular   
someones.  
  
'I wonder if Minako-chan and Ryo-kun heard the scream as well?' she wondered. 'They were   
still in the park when I left....'  
  
She ran up to where she thought the scream came from an stopped. A woman's still body laid   
on the ground, her chest was hardly moving, but it was moving nonetheless.  
  
"What happened here?" she asked after presenting her badge and calming some of the   
distressed onlookers. One of them had already gone to call for an ambulance.  
  
"This weird fellow wearin' a black robe came outta nowhere and just grabbed 'er arm," a man   
said. "Just like that. And a bit later, she falls down right 'ere. Like she's faintin'."  
  
"I know this sounds like I'm seeing things," a woman added, "but I swear to you I saw a   
small green light glowing from her hand just before she collapsed."  
  
"Yeah, saw it, too," the man agreed nodding at Katrina. "Seemed as though it came right   
from where that black robe grabbed 'er. Came right outta their hands."  
  
"Do any of you know where this black-robed person went?" Katrina asked. She was answered   
only by shaking heads.  
  
'Sounds like she had her energy drained,' Katrina thought as she frowned down at the   
comatose woman. 'Minako-chan and Ryo-kun aren't here yet. Either they're still on their   
way, they can't leave because of Alan, or they don't know about this. I'd better find a way   
to contact them, in case they don't know yet.'  
  
"I'll see if I can't find this person," she said as she turned to leave. "Be sure to give   
everyone else the same information you gave me." With that, she ran off, looking for the   
one who drained the woman on the ground.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"You seem to be quiet all of a sudden," Minako commented to Ryoku in the back seat of   
Alan's car as they pulled out of the park's parking lot.  
  
"Just thinking, Minako-chan," he replied without looking at her. His gaze remained outside   
the car window, staring at nothing in particular.  
  
"What are you thinking about?" she said curiously.  
  
"Nothing, really," he told her. "Just letting my mind wander."  
  
Minako nodded as she shrugged and turned to glance out her car window as they drove down   
the street. As the car turned the corner, she blinked as she saw someone familiar running   
down the street.  
  
"Isn't that Katrina?" Alan asked moments after Minako had spotted her.  
  
"Eh?" Ryoku asked, turning from his musings to glance over to where the others were   
looking. "That is Katrina," he agreed, nodding to himself. "Looks like she's in a hurry,   
too."  
  
Minako rolled down her window and waved at Katrina. "Matte, Katrina-oneesan! Chotto matte   
yo!"  
  
'Just the people I needed to see...,' Katrina thought as she slowed to a stop and turned   
toward the oncoming car. "Minako-chan! What is it?"  
  
"What's going on?" she asked after Alan pulled the car over out of the way of traffic. "You   
looked like you were in a hurry."  
  
"Is something going on?" Ryoku asked from his side of the car.  
  
"A woman collapsed a few streets back after being attacked by someone in a black robe,"   
Katrina explained. "She's all right except for the fact that she's unconscious. It's almost   
like she had the energy drained out of her," she added, giving a pointed look at both   
Minako and Ryoku. The two nodded almost imperceptibly.  
  
"That's terrible!" Alan said, frowning.  
  
"Yes," Katrina agreed. "I was chasing the person before you caught up to me, or rather, I   
was trying to find out where the person had disappeared to." She shrugged ruefully.   
"Unfortunately, I must've lost the person."  
  
"Don't worry, Katrina-san," Ryoku said, tilting his head and shrugging, "I'm sure that,   
with a little help, you'll be able to catch that black-robed attacker."  
  
"That's right," Alan agreed, nodding encouragement. "I'm sorry that you couldn't find that   
person you were looking for." He paused for a moment. "If you don't mind, may we offer you   
a ride somewhere? You must be tired from all that running."  
  
Katrina looked at Alan for a moment, then grinned. "I suppose so, if Minako-chan and   
Ryo-kun don't mind."  
  
"Why should we mind?" they both asked in unison.  
  
"Then, it's settled," Alan confirmed. "Please, get in and we'll be happy to take you to   
wherever you need to go."  
  
"I suppose I'd better get to the station first," Katrina said as she got in the front   
passenger seat. "After all, they'd want an incident report on the matter, since I just   
happened to be the first officer to stumble onto the scene."  
  
"No problem," he said as he prepared to pull back into traffic. "Anywhere you'd like to go   
after that? Home, perhaps?"  
  
"Well, I was headed home before all this...," she said, then grimaced. "Yes. Home."  
  
"Long day, ne?" Ryoku asked sympathetically.  
  
"Hai," she sighed tiredly.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"So, you've returned," Quartzite said as Tempest reappeared back at the warehouse. "I take   
it from the look on your face that your little excursion didn't turn out as well as you had   
hoped."  
  
Tempest sighed as she nodded. "Not exactly," she admitted. "However, I did manage to drain   
a woman of her energy, just so I wouldn't come back empty-handed."  
  
"Just one woman?" he asked disdainfully. "Is that all?"  
  
"It's part of my plan, Quartzite," she replied coolly. "I don't want to fight Sailor V and   
Masked Knight just yet."  
  
"Oh?" he asked, arching an eyebrow slightly. "So, what exactly is your plan, Tempest?"  
  
"I want to uncover the identities of Sailor V and Masked Knight. That way, they won't be   
able to hide from us. We can strike at them whenever we choose."  
  
Quartzite grinned evilly. "I see.... Such a devious plan, Tempest. I'm surprised. And here   
I was fearing that the possibility of Masked Knight turning out to be that boy would be   
inhibiting you."  
  
A slow grin spread across her face. "I'm glad you finally see that, Quartzite," she said as   
she turned and started to leave again. "Unfortunately, I haven't learned anything yet. I'll   
try again soon."  
  
"Wait."  
  
"What is it?" she asked as she halted and looked at him over her shoulder.  
  
"Take one of our remaining warriors with you when you go," he told her. "Use the energy   
that you've recently collected to aid you. I anticipate Queen Beryl's becoming impatient   
soon, so you might as well take the opportunity of an attack to try to learn our enemy's   
secret."  
  
Tempest stared straight ahead and frowned. Trust Quartzite to try and use her own plans to   
further his plans. Well, in a way, they were one in the same, but the end results weren't   
exactly the same. At least Quartzite doesn't suspect anything yet. 'I'd have a hard time of   
convincing him to leave off Ryo-chan if he knew that he was Masked Knight... if he actually   
is, that is,' she thought as her frown deepened.  
  
"I'll take Majutsushi," she told him as she started leaving again.  
  
"Just don't try to overstep yourself," he said quietly as he turned away from the doorway   
and headed back to what he was doing. He had to prepare for when Tempest would return with   
new energy to deliver to Beryl. This time, there would be considerably more to send than   
last time. There was enough to pacify Beryl; especially considering the string of failures   
that Jadeite was experiencing. He felt bad for his... well, he supposed that he could   
almost be considered a friend, though friendship was almost a foriegn concept in the Dark   
Kingdom. At any rate, any large amount of energy that could be delivered was a boon to the   
Dark Kingdom and had, thus far saved his standing with Beryl.  
  
"Whatever you are scheming, it had better not interfere with my ambitions. If they do...   
then I will have no choice but to kill you.  
  
"No one will hinder my ambition. No one."  
  
**********************************************  
  
Disclaimer: All original materials belong to their respective owners. Sailor Moon belongs   
to Naoko Takeuchi and a bunch of big companies. No copyright infringement is intended. This   
story belongs me, so I would appreciate it very much if you would ask for permission before   
posting it anywhere else. Thank you.  
  
The Question and all stories included are:  
Copyright © July 6, 2001 Jason C. Ulloa.   
All Rights Reserved. 


	18. Chapter 17

Alone No More: Minako's Story  
by Jason C. Ulloa  
  
  
Chapter 17  
  
Tempest was grateful for the fact that Majutsushi was taciturn. His constant presence was   
beginning to get on her nerves. As long as he was there with her, she couldn't act on any   
of her plans to try and turn Ryoku to her side. It was a good thing that he wouldn't be   
able to recognize him on sight.  
  
A sudden thought went through her mind suddenly. Would she be able to recognize him? It had   
been at least four years since she had seen him last. Would he have changed much? She had   
certainly changed. She had grown and matured into a very beautiful young woman. Back then,   
she was considered to be cute, but now.... Ryoku would probably drool over her now.  
  
A small grin threatened to creep onto her face before she supressed it. It would do no good   
to have Majutsushi see her acting like a fool.  
  
As if the very thought of him caught his attention, Majutsushi looked over at her with an   
impatient expression on his face.  
  
"Don't complain," she snapped back. "I'll let you know when I'm ready. I want to see where   
I can get the most energy without being interrupted by Sailor V and Masked Knight."  
  
He gave her a skeptical look, but he didn't give any indication as to what he thought about   
it. He never did. Majutsushi was as enigmatic as he was taciturn.  
  
"Whatever...," she muttered under her breath. "Just try not to look to conspicuous." She   
could almost imagine him rolling his eyes at her, but she knew he didn't have the   
inclination to do things like that.  
  
She had been walking the streets for at least three hours, searching. She was getting   
nowhere. 'This is taking too long!' she grumbled mentally. 'I guess I have to resort to   
drawing him out. I didn't want to do it this way, but I don't have much time left before   
Quartzite starts to get suspicious of why I'm taking so long.'  
  
As she turned the corner at the next street she came to, she paused and grinned to herself.   
"Yes," she said in satisfaction. "I think that'll be a good place to gather energy."  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Wanna go again?" Minako asked as she pulled onto Ryoku's arm and tried to drag him toward   
the same roller-coaster they had ridden on... for the fourth time. "Iku wa yo!"  
  
"You've got to be kidding me...," he muttered as he let her drag him after her.  
  
Alan and Katrina chuckled as they watched Minako drag the poor boy on a fourth trip on the   
largest, fastest ride in the whole park. They had elected to forgo riding the thrill rides,   
but Minako was determined to ride as many as she could. And since she didn't want to ride   
alone, Ryoku had no choice but to go along for the ride.  
  
"I feel sorry for him," Katrina said, shaking her head in amusement as she turned to Alan.  
  
"Yeah," Alan agreed with a laugh. "I just wonder how long he'll last. Hopefully, she won't   
try to make him go a fifth time."  
  
"Ryo-kun was beginning to look a little pale back there," she added thoughtfully. "Maybe   
we should get Minako-chan to try something else?"  
  
He shrugged slightly. "I'm not worried. Ryo-kun will let Minako-chan know if he can't take   
another ride. Do you want to get something to drink while we wait?"  
  
"Sounds good to me."  
  
Meanwhile, Minako and Ryoku were just getting strapped in for their fourth ride.   
"Minako-chan, after this ride, can we please go on something else?" Ryoku implored.  
  
"Well... I guess we have been going on this one a bit too much," Minako admitted. "I was   
hoping that Alan and Katrina-oneesan would ride with us, but...."  
  
"I wouldn't blame them," he muttered under his breath. "At any rate, maybe we should try   
something a little milder next time. Something that the four of us can enjoy together."  
  
"Good idea," she said just as they felt the cart they were riding in start to move forward.   
"Ara! Here we go again!"  
  
"Chikuso...," he muttered just before they started on the first drop of the now-familiar   
ride. After that, all he could do was scream and shout along with Minako.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Did you two have fun?" Alan asked as Minako and Ryoku walked over to where he and Katrina   
were sitting.  
  
"I guess you could say that," Ryoku replied as he tried to comb back the wayward hair   
strands that had escaped his ponytail during the ride. "I could've sworn that the ride went   
slower the first three times...."  
  
"I'm sorry for making you two wait for me and Ryo-kun," Minako said apologetically.  
  
"Nonsense," Katrina said with a grin. "You were enjoying yourselves. That's what was   
important."  
  
"Well, how about we all go on the next ride together?" she suggested. "I promise it will   
be a mild one." She glanced around, then pointed toward a merry-go-round. "How about that?"  
  
"That?" Ryoku asked. "I don't know...."  
  
"Oh, come on, Ryo-kun...," Minako entreated. "Please?"  
  
"I'll go, too, if that'll make you feel better," Alan added.  
  
Ryoku blinked. "Uh, sure. If that's what you want, Minako-chan."  
  
"Thank you, Ryo-kun!" she said happily.  
  
He grinned at her enthusiasm. "All right, then. Let's go."  
  
Minako quickly climbed up on one of the horses while Ryoku chose one nearby. Alan rode a   
horse beside Minako while Katrina chose one between Alan and Ryoku. As the merry-go-round   
slowly spun around, Minako laughed happily. It was wonderful; especially since Alan had   
chosen a horse so near her own. As her horse went up and down, she smiled at Alan, who   
smiled back at her. Occasionally, she'd glance back at Katrina and Ryoku. Katrina was   
having fun, as was Ryoku, but he seemed to be slightly uncomfortable as he rode. Well, at   
least he was trying to have fun.  
  
After the ride, Ryoku suggested that they all go take some pictures at a nearby photo booth   
that was sitting over by the arcade. Minako cheerily began to dash over to the booth,   
leaving a very chagrined Ryoku behind, along with Alan and Katrina.  
  
Minako decided to take her first picture with Ryoku. After all, he was her best friend and   
partner. They were always risking their lives for each other without even thinking about   
it. As she looked over the pictures as they came out, she couldn't help but smile at how   
they came out. Sure, the first two poses were of them being ridiculous, but the last two   
pictures.... The third one was of both of them smiling as they flashed a pair of V-signs   
together. The perfect picture of two best friends. But, the last picture was of them in a   
sort of mature pose. From the way Ryoku had his right hand placed on her shoulder and the   
way she seemed to almost tilt her head to rest her head on his hand, one would assume that   
they were more than just friends. Perhaps even lovers.  
  
"Can I see, Minako-chan?" Katrina asked as she glanced at the photos from over her shoulder.  
  
"Eh?" she asked, blinking in surprise. "Oh. Here."  
  
"Oh, how nice," she said, smiling. "You can tell that you two are the best of friends just   
from these pictures."  
  
"You think so?"  
  
"Absolutely," Alan added as he glanced at the photos as well. "You two go well together.   
It certainly shows."  
  
"All right, who's next?" Ryoku asked as he took the photos from Katrina so that he could   
look at them.  
  
"I wanna take some photos with Alan!" Minako exclaimed as she grabbed his arm and pulled   
him toward the booth.  
  
"All right, already!" he laughed as he followed her inside.  
  
Minako quickly looked over the photos as they came out of the machine. In each one of the   
photos Alan was doing almost the same pose, while she was trying different poses. She   
tried holding onto his arm, hugging him from behind as he sat, sitting while he stood   
behind her, and even trying to get him to flash a V-sign with her. It was almost   
disappointing.  
  
"How about you, Katrina-san?" Ryoku suggested. "Do you want to take some pictures?"  
  
"Well...," she began hesitantly.  
  
"Ah, come on!" he urged. "If Alan was willing to take some with Minako-chan, then why don't   
you?" A grin quickly lit his face as he got an idea. "I know! You can take your photos   
with Alan."  
  
Alan blinked at the suggestion, but nodded in encouragement. "I'm sure it'll be fun,   
Katrina-san."  
  
"Well... all right," she relented and followed Alan into the booth.  
  
Minako glanced over the photos as they came out of the booth with Ryoku looking over her   
shoulder. "He doesn't change his poses much, does he?" he asked.  
  
"No, he doesn't," she replied. There was something different between these photos of Alan   
and her photos with Alan. She couldn't put her finger on it exactly but....  
  
A loud scream suddenly cut off her train of thought. She stared at Ryoku, who was staring   
right back at her.  
  
"Dark Agency?" he said, his expression very serious.  
  
"It could be," she replied as she looked over to Katrina, who had just exited the photo   
booth with Alan. She gave them a look that told them that she was thinking along the same   
lines as they were.  
  
"It sounds like there may be trouble," she said as she glanced toward the direction of the   
scream. "You two better find somewhere safe. Alan, can you call this number for me and   
request assistance for me while I investigate?" She quickly wrote down a number and handed   
it to him. He nodded and ran off, but not before watching Minako and Ryoku head for   
somewhere safe. Once he was out of sight, they quickly turned around and ducked into a   
secluded area.  
  
"Moon Power Transform!"  
  
"Star Sword Power Transform!"  
  
"Ready, Knight?"  
  
"Iku zo, Venus!"  
  
**********************************************  
  
Tempest laughed as she leaped from person to person while quickly draining them of their   
energy. She didn't want to drain them of all their energy, since that would take too long.   
Besides, her main goal was to lure Sailor V and Masked Knight to her. Energy was just a   
bonus. She glanced behind her at Majutsushi, who was just standing there with his arms   
folded. It was hard to tell normally, since he was usually wrapped up in a large gray   
cloak, similar to the one she was wearing now, but he was in disguise now. He was just   
another regular human just standing around inconspicuously.... Or rather, he would be   
inconspicuous if it wasn't for the fact that he was standing still while everyone else was   
fleeing for their lives. Maybe Jade would've been a better choice....  
  
She tossed aside another human male as she rushed toward another human to drain of energy;   
a woman this time. She was gathering a great deal of energy, but no one had shown yet.   
Normally, that would be considered a good thing, but for her....  
  
"Halt!" a strong voice commanded from behind. A female voice.  
  
Tempest scowled irritably as she turned around, but the scowl vanished as soon as she saw   
who it was.  
  
It wasn't Sailor V.  
  
"A black robe?" Katrina said as she pointed her gun at Tempest. "So, you must've been the   
one I was chasing yesterday."  
  
A long time ago, Tempest would've been afraid at the sight of a gun. But, that was when she   
was a mere human. Things were different now. The normal rules were replaced with the ones   
she created herself. She was beyond human laws. She was her own law.  
  
"You plan on stopping me by yourself?" Tempest asked as she grinned. "With that toy of   
yours? Useless."  
  
"I'm warning you. Do not make any sudden moves. Any sudden moves will be assumed to be an   
act of aggression. I will not hesitate to open fire if you show any signs of...."  
  
"Oh, spare me," Tempest said tiredly as she rushed at Katrina, who just barely escaped by   
diving to the side. "Your attacks will not affect me."  
  
"Well then, how about ours?" a pair of voices asked from behind and above.  
  
Tempest turned to see the object of her search standing on top of a consession stand with   
Sailor V standing beside him. "Finally," she muttered to herself. "Majutsushi, you take the   
girl. I'll handle Masked Knight."  
  
Majutsushi quickly shed his disguise and opened fire on Sailor V by throwing one fireball   
after another at her.  
  
"Hey! What the...?!?" she exclaimed as she barely managed to dodge each one in succession.  
  
"Now, Masked Knight, follow me," Tempest said as she leaped away.  
  
"Where do you think you're going?" he shouted as he gave chase. "Che! Come back here! Earth   
thrust!" He flung a stone spike at her which only managed to strike a stone wall and leave   
a few cracks in it.  
  
"You're going to have to do better than that in order to catch me!" she taunted as she   
leaped out of sight with Masked Knight chasing right behind her.  
  
"Hey!" Sailor V exclaimed as she trying to follow Masked Knight and Tempest, but she was   
blocked by Majutsushi. "I guess I have no choice then...," she muttered as she glared at   
him.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Earth thrust!" he shouted again as his attacks missed, one after the next. Tempest was   
making no moves to attack as she continued to lead him away from Sailor V. She was sure   
that Majutsushi could take the girl by himself, so she had Masked Knight all to herself.   
Now she could take the time to find out for herself if he was really her long-lost beloved,   
Kino Ryoku.  
  
"Come now, Masked Knight. Is this the best you can do?" she taunted as she slipped past   
another one of his attacks. She silently laughed to herself as she noticed that his efforts   
to hit her had increased slightly. Good. As long as she kept his mind on her and off of his   
partner, Majutsushi should have as much time as needed to finish off Sailor V. And once she   
was taken care of, she could concentrate her efforts on Masked Knight. He just had to be   
Kino Ryoku. He just had to be....  
  
"An opening!" Masked Knight said to himself as he fired his attack again. At the same time,   
he flung his Star Sword at her, but at a slight distance off to the left. She smirked as   
she dodged to the right to avoid the attacks, but her smirk fell as she saw him coming   
right at her with a kick to her stomach that knocked the wind out of her. "Gotcha!"  
  
"Damn...," Tempest coughed as she knelt forward, recovering from the blow.  
  
"Earth thrust!" he shouted again as he attacked again. Tempest recovered enough to dodge   
the attack, but just barely. However, she didn't move fast enough to keep the hood of her   
robe from getting caught on the stone spike. When she rolled out of the way, her hood was   
ripped off of her robe, leaving her face exposed.  
  
"Nan da...?" Knight gasped as he stared in utter shock. "Anata wa...."  
  
She grinned at his shock. She was disguised, of course, but her disguise was of someone   
whom she knew he would never expect to see again.  
  
"Fluorite! Masaka! You're dead! We saw you die!"  
  
Tempest grinned, but said nothing. After all, her disguise was just visual. Her voice was   
unchanged. If she spoke, then he would know that she wasn't the real Fluorite. At any rate,   
he had seen her disguise too soon. She was planning to use the disguise on Sailor V to kill   
her herself, but it was too late now.... But, still... she could always try to disable him,   
then go attack Sailor V while wearing the disguise. If Masked Knight was any indication,   
Sailor V would be so surprised that she and Majutsushi would be able to kill her easily.   
But first, she had to take care of Masked Knight before his shock could wear off.  
  
She rushed at him with a flying punch to his face which easily connected due to his being   
completely shocked. She then continued to rush at him, since that one punch would be enough   
to bring him out of his shock and trigger his defensive instincts. She had to take him down   
fast and hard.  
  
As Masked Knight as reeling back from the punch, she quickly followed with a high kick to   
the head, then to the chest, then back to the head again. She then grabbed him and threw   
him against the wall, causing him to bang the back of his head against the wall very hard.   
As his head bounced, she executed a flying kick into his stomach, followed by a spin kick   
to the head upon landing. By now, Masked Knight should've been hit hard enough to keep him   
reeling in a sea of pain for a long time, but.... Whether he was Kino Ryoku or not, she   
could not take any chances.  
  
"Ryo-chan, please forgive me," she said as Masked Knight slowly slid down the wall. Just   
before he slid completely down to the ground, she delivered a powerful kick to his groin   
area with as much strength as she could gather. That one attack was just enough to push him   
into unconsciousness as he fell to the ground face-first.  
  
"I'd better hurry," she said to herself as she turned to leave, but stopped and turned   
back. She slowly knelt down at his side and turned him over so that he was lying face-up on   
the ground. "He does look so much like Ryo-chan," she mused to himself as she carefully   
examined his face. "However, I still cannot be certain yet." She gently placed a hand on   
his cheek as she bent down and kissed him on the other cheek. "But, in my heart, I am   
almost certain it is you.  
  
"Will you remember me, Ryo-chan?" she said as she slowly stood and turned to leave. "Please   
say that you will. When the time comes, please say that you will come back to me,   
Ryo-chan...."  
  
Just as she leaped away to go to assist Majutsushi in his attack, Masked Knight opened his   
eyes and stared up into the open sky as he tried to gather his strength. Most of his   
thoughts were awash in nothing but pain, but one thought seemed to stir in the midst of all   
the agony.  
  
"Ryo... chan...?"  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Crescent beam!" Sailor V shouted just in time to intercept another fireball sent by   
Majutsushi. He just continued to silently conjure up one fireball after another and fire   
them at her in rapid succession. "Crescent beam!"  
  
She was beginning to grow tired from all the running and dodging she was doing. Majutsushi   
wasn't even tired, but that was mostly due to the fact that he was doing most of the   
attacking and doing very little dodging, whereas she was doing a lot of both.  
  
"Shimatta!" Sailor V grumbled as she breathed heavily. "Where is Knight? Why did he have to   
go chase after that other person while I got stuck with this one?"  
  
"Having fun with Majutsushi, Sailor V?" Tempest asked as she appeared overhead.  
  
"Nani yo?!?" Sailor V exclaimed as she stared up at the disguised Tempest. "Fluorite??? No   
way!!!" She glared at her angrily. "What did you do to Masked Knight?"  
  
Tempest almost blinked in surprise. She had expected her to become frozen in shock just   
like Masked Knight did.... That's when she realized that it was because she came back   
alone. Her worry over Masked Knight overcame her shock at seeing a revived Fluorite. Damn   
it. Damn her. Well, shock or not, two against one should be more than enough to take care   
of her.  
  
"I'll be more than happy to show you, Sailor V!" she exclaimed as she rushed at her. The   
surprise didn't work, so there was no need to hide her voice, since she would be dead   
anyway. Besides, it seemed that she hadn't even noticed the different voice yet. "Die!!!"  
  
Sailor V leaped straight up in order to dodge Tempest's attack, but it left her open to   
Majutsushi's follow-up attack. With no way to change direction in midair and the attack to   
close for her to block with a Crescent Beam, the fireball struck her hard, knocking her out   
of the air. She hit the ground hard, singed and in a great deal of pain.  
  
"All right!" Tempest said triumphantly. "Majutsushi, finish her off!"  
  
He quickly complied by conjuring up the biggest fireball he could muster and flung it at   
Sailor V. With her as injured as she was, there was no way for her to escape. She would   
die. At last, the Dark Agency would be rid of Sailor V!  
  
Sailor V opened her eyes in time to see the fireball coming. It was the biggest one she had   
seen him throw at her. There was no way for her to gather the energy in order to counter   
this attack in time. She was going to die and her partner was nowhere to be seen. Had he   
already met the same fate she was going to meet? Was he already dead? It was hard to   
believe, but that seemed to be the only explanation. She knew Ryoku; he would never abandon   
her when she needed him. He had to be dead already. Sadly, she closed her eyes and waited   
for death to take her as a tear ran down her cheek.  
  
"Venus!!!" she heard a voice cry out suddenly before the fireball struck.  
  
"Knight?" she gasped in shock as she opened her eyes again, just as the fireball struck.  
  
As the tremendous heat washed over her, she saw her partner, Masked Knight, kneeling down   
in front of her with his back to her, protecting her with his own battered body. She could   
almost imagine his face; a picture of grim determination.  
  
"Ryo-kun...," she whispered faintly. "You would sacrifice yourself... for me? Please...   
promise me that you won't die...."  
  
"I won't... die...," he struggled to say as the fireball passed over them. As the attack   
dissipated, he collapsed face-forward onto the ground.  
  
"Masaka...," Tempest breathed as she stared down at Masked Knight. "How could he recover so   
quickly from that...? Majutsushi! Quickly, finish Sailor V...!" She stared in shock as she   
looked over at Majutsushi. He was still standing there, but with Masked Knight's Star Sword   
sticking straight through his chest. As she watched, his body disintegrated and crumbled   
into so much dust.  
  
"Fluorite!" Sailor V shouted, standing after checking over her partner. "No. You're not   
Fluorite! Who are you? Show your true self!"  
  
"Very well," Tempest said as she shed her disguise. Masked Knight was unconscious again, so   
it would not matter if Sailor V saw her. She wouldn't know the face of the one who used to   
be Hisakawa Keiko. "You may have defeated Majutsushi, but the Dark Agency is still not   
through yet! One day soon, you will die at our hands! I look forward to that day.  
  
"I am Tempest," she said as she began to fade from sight. "Remember my name. You will learn   
to fear it." She then vanished completely, leaving Sailor V and Masked Knight by themselves.  
  
"Tempest...," Sailor V growled as she angrily clenched a fist. "You almost killed my   
partner. I cannot forgive you for that! I swear you will pay for it!"  
  
"Don't worry, Venus," Masked Knight said weakly as he slowly pushed himself up to his   
knees. "I can't die so easily. Not until we've accomplished our mission and returned home."   
He smiled weakly at her. "Face it, Minako-chan, you're stuck with me."  
  
She laughed faintly. "I'm glad, Ryo-kun."  
  
**********************************************  
  
Tempest reappeared back at the warehouse, only to find Quartzite waiting for her. "Well?"   
he asked in the tone she knew as one where he already knew the answer, but he wanted her to   
say it anyway.  
  
"I have good news and bad news, Quartzite," she reported.  
  
"Go on."  
  
"The good news is that I have a large amount of energy that I have gathered from the   
humans," she continued. "It should be more than enough to make Queen Beryl more than   
pleased with your work here."  
  
"But?" he asked in a flat tone.  
  
"The bad news is that Majutsushi has been defeated by Sailor V and Masked Knight," she   
admitted reluctantly.  
  
"And so, we have lost another warrior to them," he said quietly. "We may be able to supply   
the Dark Kingdom with energy taken here in London, but if we keep losing our warriors, then   
we will eventually end up with only ourselves to gather energy and fight against Sailor V   
and Masked Knight. Are you ready to face the two of them, should we lose our last three   
warriors, Tempest?"  
  
"I can face them at any time!" she retorted heatedly.  
  
"Bold words," he said with a derisive smirk. "The time may come for you to prove that you   
aren't just speaking empty promises. When that time comes, will you be prepared to fight to   
the death?"  
  
"Certainly, Quartzite. To the death."  
  
"Even if Masked Knight turns out to be that boy?"  
  
She paused as her breath caught in her throat. Could she kill him? She still wasn't sure   
that it was him, but from what she had seen, she was all but convinced that he was. If she   
couldn't turn him, could she actually kill him?  
  
"Without hesitation," she lied.  
  
"Then, prepare for that time," he told her with a stern, unyielding expression on his face.  
  
"I will, Quartzite," she agreed. "In the meantime, I will also prepare for the next time   
that I go to gather energy. I will be taking two of our warriors in order to assure Sailor   
V and Masked Knight's defeat."  
  
"And which ones would they be?" he asked amusedly.  
  
"Kage and Jade."  
  
"Very well," Quartzite said as he turned to leave. "I shall leave the matter to you."  
  
"You'll see, Quartzite," Tempest said determinedly. "I will kill Sailor V and I will bring   
Masked Knight over to our side... or rather, to my side. Nothing and no one will keep my   
Ryo-chan from me!"  
  
"I must make plans for our return to Japan," Quartzite said to himself as he left the   
warehouse. "The time is coming for my return. I can sense it. I can only hope that it is in   
triumph, rather than defeat.  
  
"But, if we end up returning in defeat, then can I really go back to Queen Beryl? No matter   
what I've done here, a defeat is a defeat to Queen Beryl." He stopped and sighed to himself   
as he looked up into the slowly darkening sky. The sun would set soon. It was like his time   
here in London. Soon, his sun would set and he would have to return to Japan. But that   
didn't mean that his options were only success or defeat. He could still have success, even   
if his plans ended up in defeat. All he had to do was begin his own plans. Even if he had   
to take Tempest and work unilaterally without Queen Beryl's knowledge or consent, he could   
find a way to gain her favor and become a General. He had plans to make.  
  
"No. Defeat is not an option," he said quietly. "One way or another, I will fulfill my   
ambitions. I will succeed where others have failed. The final victory will be mine."  
  
**********************************************  
  
Disclaimer: All original materials belong to their respective   
owners. Sailor Moon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi and a bunch   
of big companies. No copyright infringement is intended. This   
story belongs me, so I would appreciate it very much if you  
would ask for permission before posting it anywhere else.   
Thank you.  
  
The Question and all stories included are:  
Copyright © July 6, 2001 Jason C. Ulloa.   
All Rights Reserved. 


	19. Chapter 18

Alone No More: Minako's Story  
by Jason C. Ulloa  
  
  
Chapter 18  
  
"Are you two okay?" Alan asked as he and Katrina caught up with Minako and Ryoku. "We were   
looking all over for you! Where have you two gone?"  
  
"Alan! Katrina-oneesan!" Minako exclaimed as she and Ryoku ran up to them. "You're both   
okay!"  
  
"Of course we were!" Katrina told them with a grin. "Now, please tell Alan what happened to   
you two. He's been worried out of his mind since we were separated."  
  
"You were worried, Alan?" Ryoku asked, frowning penitently. "We're sorry if we caused you   
to worry about us."  
  
"I'm just glad you two are all right," he said as he smiled down at them. "I don't know   
what I'd do if you two were killed...."  
  
Ryoku and Minako shared a long look. Minako's expression asked a silent question to Ryoku   
which he silently agreed to with a slow, grave nod.  
  
"Alan... there's something I think that Ryo-kun and I should show you," she said quietly.  
  
Katrina gave them a surprised look, but then nodded in silent understanding. "Alan, this is   
very important, so maybe we should all go somewhere a little more... private?"  
  
Alan frowned in confusion, but nodded in agreement. "Let's go home, then," he suggested.   
"I can't think of any place more private than that. You'll join us, right, Katrina?" he   
asked as he turned to her. "After all, it sounds like you already know about this."  
  
"Well... yes, I do know about it," she admitted with a chagrined smile. "I suppose I should   
come as well. This is a very important matter, anyway."  
  
**********************************************  
  
"I can't believe this...," Alan whispered in shock as he stared at Sailor V and Masked   
Knight. "It's like something out of an anime...."  
  
"This is very real," Masked Knight said solemnly. "Right now, Minako-chan and I, as Sailor   
V and Masked Knight, are fighting against the Dark Agency in order to aid our allies back   
home in Japan, who are less experienced in fighting than we are."  
  
"Our efforts here in London are helping to slow down the Dark Kingdom's growth back home,"   
Sailor V continued. "Until we are finished here and the Dark Agency has been stopped for   
good, we cannot return home." She sighed as she gave Alan an apologetic look. "I'm sorry if   
we made you worry, but we have a dangerous job to accomplish here. If we don't stop the   
Dark Agency, then everything we have worked so hard for and risked our lives for will mean   
nothing."  
  
"I... understand," Alan said after a long pause. "It will be hard, but...." He shook his   
head as he tried to make sense out of everything they had told him. "It is a lot to take in   
all at once." He sat down in a chair as he continued to stare at nothing in particular   
while his mind tried to process all the new information that kept flooding in.  
  
"I know what you mean," Katrina agreed understandingly. "I had trouble believing at first,   
even after everything that I saw that one day."  
  
"So, that is what you both were doing when I couldn't find you," he said as he looked from   
Masked Knight to Sailor V. "You were both fighting against the Dark Agency to protect   
everyone."  
  
Sailor V nodded as she and Masked Knight both reverted back to Minako and Ryoku. "That's   
right, Alan. I'm so sorry that we haven't told you sooner, but we didn't want you to worry   
about us. We never expected things to go as far as it did."  
  
"Our fight only gets harder as the Dark Agency nears its end," Ryoku said somberly. "If   
something should happen to either or both of us, then don't consider it your fault. You   
can't protect us against something like this. In fact, it is the other way around.  
  
"Also, if something should happen to either or both of us, we don't want you to contact   
Minako's family to tell her that we died. They might take it the wrong way and blame you or   
something worse. We don't want an international incident. Artemis will arrange things so   
that it'll look like we died on our way back home in Japan. That way, none of the blame can   
be shifted toward either of you."  
  
"This is all so much different from what I'm used to," Alan said after a long period of   
silence. "After all, you two are the first exchange students I've ever had in my home that   
might die while under my care. I don't really know what to think of this."  
  
"Then don't," Minako said quietly as she sat down in a chair next to Alan and put a hand on   
his. "Ryo-kun and I will not die. Not as long as we look out for each other. We'll be fine.   
Trust us."  
  
"Yes," Alan said after considering both Minako and Ryoku. "Yes, I believe you. Both of you."  
  
Ryoku nodded with an almost relieved expression on his face. "That's good to hear."  
  
**********************************************  
  
Over the next couple of days, things were quiet. After what had been happening up until   
recently, this turn of events began to worry both Minako and Ryoku; especially Minako.  
  
"What was that, Minako-chan?" Ryoku asked as he looked up from the book he was reading as   
he laid down on the floor of their room where he usually slept.  
  
"I said I wonder what Tempest is up to right now," she repeated as gave him a pointed look   
from her position sitting on the bed. "Do you think she's getting ready to launch some   
really horrible attack in order to gather energy right now?"  
  
"You seem to be very preoccupied with the Dark Agency as of late," he commented. "At least,   
you seem to be fixated on this one particular enemy."  
  
"Of course!" she replied heatedly. "She almost killed you, Ryo-kun! I can't forgive her for   
that!"  
  
"Yes, I want to get even with her for that as well, but there's no use worrying about it   
until she attacks," he replied as he went back to his book.  
  
"I don't understand you, Ryo-kun," she said uncertainly. "When we first started going after   
the Dark Agency here in London, you were the one who was all business. Now, it sounds as if   
you're not that eager to get rid of the Dark Agency."  
  
Ryoku sighed as he closed his book, sat up and faced her with a very serious expression on   
his face. "I don't know, Minako-chan," he began as his features became very uncertain.   
"It's strange.... I don't even know what Tempest really looks like. When I fought her, she   
was wearing a disguise that made her look like Fluorite, so I never saw her true identity."  
  
"I have," she said with a deep frown. "I'll never forget her face."  
  
"Ryo-chan...," he murmured to himself as his expression became distant.  
  
"Did you say something, Ryo-kun?" she asked as she saw that he had become lost in thought.  
  
"Eh?" he said as he suddenly snapped out of his contemplative trance. "Oh. Nothing. It was   
strange, though," he began as he frowned uncertainly. "I could swear that I recognized the   
voice, though. Like I heard it before a long time ago. A lifetime ago, almost."  
  
"A lifetime ago?" she asked as she blinked in confusion.  
  
'She called me Ryo-chan. I'm almost certain of it,' he thought to himself. 'Only three   
people have ever called me that in my entire lifetime and two of those people are dead.   
It's impossible for Mako-chan to be Tempest, so who could she be?'  
  
"Ryo-kun?"  
  
"Oh, sorry. What were you saying?"  
  
"I said do you want to go with me to go shopping for Katrina-oneesan's birthday present?"   
she asked.  
  
"Oh, yeah," he said, blinking in realization. "It's tomorrow, right?"  
  
"Right. So, we should go find something nice for Katrina-oneesan." Minako pushed herself   
off her bed and bent down to pull Ryoku up to his feet. "Come on, Ryo-kun! Hayaku! If we're   
going to find something nice for Katrina-oneesan, then we have to hurry!"  
  
"Oi! Hold on, Minako-chan!" Ryoku exclaimed as she started to drag him after her.  
  
"Alan! We're going now!" Minako called out cheerily as she continued to yank Ryoku after   
her.  
  
"All right, then," he replied as he waved. "See you two later."  
  
"Minako-chan!" he shouted in vain as he tried to get her to slow down, but she wasn't about   
to yield. "Chikuso...."  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Good afternoon," the salesperson greeted as Minako walked into the jewelry store with   
Ryoku right behind her. "Is there anything I can help you with?"  
  
"No, thank you," she replied as she started glancing around with a small smile beginning to   
spread across her face.  
  
"I hope we can find something here, Minako-chan," Ryoku said, weariness slowly creeping   
into his voice. "This is the sixth store we've been to in over two hours. Not only that,   
but they've all been different stores. Do you have any idea of what you're looking for?"  
  
Minako gave him a flat look. "Don't tell me that you're not even bothering to help me find   
something nice for Katrina-oneesan?" she said with mild disapproval. "You're not going to   
leave it all up to me, are you?"  
  
Ryoku sweatdropped in chagrin. "I guess I could make a suggestion here and there...."  
  
Her smile instantly returned. "That's more like it! Come on, Ryo-kun! Let's try to find   
something here!"  
  
"But you said that at the last five stores we've been to."  
  
"Well, this one's different. I can feel it. I'm sure we'll find the perfect birthday gift   
for Katrina-oneesan here."  
  
"Of course," he replied noncommittally. "I suppose you can't go wrong with jewelry."  
  
"Ooh! Ryo-kun! Take a look at this!" Minako said excitedly as she waved him over.  
  
"Have you found something already?" he asked as he came over and glanced at what she was so   
excited about.  
  
"Oh, that's a great choice," the salesperson said as she walked up to them and smiled.   
"Would you like to try it on?"  
  
"Can I?" Minako asked eagerly.  
  
"Certainly," she replied as she opened the display and brought out the ring. It was a   
white-gold ring with a line of three precious stones on it. The middle stone was a good   
sized orange topaz, while the two smaller stones beside them were diamonds.  
  
"As you can see, it's a birthstone ring," the salesperson continued as Minako tried on the   
ring. She turned to look at Ryoku and gave him a friendly smile. "So, is this a gift for   
your girlfriend?"  
  
"Not really," Ryoku replied after a short pause. Minako pretended to give the ring a close   
scrutiny as she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. Was it just her imagination,   
or did he sound almost... disappointed... when he said that?  
  
"Oh, my mistake," the salesperson said with a polite laugh at her error. "I'm sorry."  
  
"Don't worry about it," he replied with a casual shrug. "It happens often."  
  
"So, your birthstone is topaz?" the salesperson asked Minako as she turned her attention   
back toward her potential customer.  
  
"No," Minako replied as she shook her head. "It's opal. October 22nd."  
  
"You're a Libra, Minako-chan?" Ryoku asked. "I didn't know that."  
  
"Well, now you know," she replied with a wink and a playful toss of her long, blonde hair.   
"And what about you, Ryo-kun? When is your birthday? I don't seem to remember you ever   
telling me."  
  
"February 28th," he replied.  
  
"So, you're a Pisces, ne?" she said with a wide smile. "And your birthstone is an amethyst,   
I think. I wonder if there are any nice rings around here with amethysts on them...."  
  
"What about Katrina's birthday present, Minako-chan?" Ryoku quickly cut in before she   
could get distracted any further.  
  
"Eh? Oh! I almost forgot!" she said as she grimaced in chagrin and took off the ring and   
handed it back to the salesperson.  
  
"Minako-chan...," he sighed patiently as she went back to searching for a good birthday   
present. As she was looking around at various rings and bracelets, something caught his   
eye.  
  
He walked over to a display of necklaces and examined one in particular. It was a simple   
necklace, but it had a small, round pendant on the end of it. Upon further examination, he   
found that the pendant could be opened. When he opened it, he saw that there was room for a   
small picture inside. He was about to call out to Minako when she suddenly appeared at his   
shoulder, peering down at the necklace and pendant he had found.  
  
"I knew I could count on you, Ryo-kun," she told him as she gave him a quick smile and a   
hug, then picked up the necklace and took it over to the salesperson for her to ring up.   
Ryoku merely glanced after her for a moment, shrugged, then followed her as she left the   
store with her purchase.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"So, what're we going to put in the pendant, Minako-chan?" Ryoku asked after they had gone   
up to their room. Alan greatly approved of the gift and remarked that he hoped that the   
present that he had chosen to give Katrina would be just as well received as he knew the   
pendant would be. When she had asked him what the present was, he told her that she would   
have to wait until tomorrow in order to find out. She pleaded and pouted, but Alan remained   
firm, so she had to remain content with that.  
  
"We have several photos of our time here in London, now," he continued as he studied the   
pendant in its box. It rested nicely on its soft cushion while most of the necklace was   
stuffed underneath it so that the small part of the necklace that was above the cushion was   
straight. "We can only put one picture in it. Which one, though?"  
  
"Ryo-kun, you have all of our pictures in that photo album book you bought two weeks ago,   
right?" she asked as she laid down on the bed and rolled onto her side. "Bring it out and   
let's look through it. We'd better hurry since we don't have a lot of time to choose one   
and take it to be copied into a smaller version that'll fit."  
  
"Right," he agreed and bent down toward the dresser and rummaged through his drawer,   
looking for it. "Ah, here it is." He brought out a slim photo album and closed the drawer,   
then walked over and sat down on the bed next to Minako.  
  
"Let's see...," Minako said as she opened the album and started flipping through it. "Hey,   
remember that?" she said as she pointed at a picture of them playing a game of volleyball   
at their school with some of the kids in their class.  
  
Ryoku glanced at the picture, then grinned slightly. "I remember. I think we lost that one,   
if I remember correctly."  
  
"I did say that I was sorry for hitting you in the back of the head with the ball...."  
  
"Yeah, I know," he replied dismissively. "It was an accident. I remember." He shrugged.   
"Still, it was fun."  
  
Minako flipped through the album, going through the pictures with Ryoku and reminiscing. A   
good deal of the pictures were of the two of them together, but there were the occasional   
pictures of her and Alan, Ryoku and Alan, her and Katrina, Ryoku and Katrina, her and Ryoku   
and Katrina, and her and Ryoku and Alan. When she started to reach the end of the album,   
she stopped on one picture in particular that was exactly what she was looking for.  
  
"Yes," Ryoku said as he nodded in satisfaction. "That one will be perfect."  
  
It was a picture of all of them together. Katrina and Alan were standing together with   
herself and Ryoku standing just in front of them. The picture was taken outside at the same   
park where she had introduced Katrina to Alan, right next to the same tree that they had   
had that picnic. It certainly was the perfect picture to put into the pendant.  
  
"Let's go, Ryo-kun," she said as she sat up and pushed herself off the bed. "If we hurry,   
we can get this done before tomorrow."  
  
"I'm right behind you, Minako-chan," he said as he stood up and followed her out the door.  
  
**********************************************  
  
Tempest sighed to herself again. Once again, she was getting nowhere. She had told   
Quartzite that she was going to get some more energy, but for the past few days, she had   
done nothing but stealth strikes at night while searching for Ryoku by day. Things were   
growing more and more out of control and, if she wanted to try to bring Ryoku over to her   
side, she didn't have much time left. As it was, Quartzite was growing suspicious. She knew   
him - he would kill her if she interfered with his plans. He had told her as such; he said   
that whomever got in his way, no matter who it was, he would kill them.  
  
Of course, that was after the whole fiasco that sent him from commanding Beryl's armies to   
working for Danburite and the Dark Agency.  
  
But then again, that was also when she started working for him as Tempest.  
  
She had come a long way from the weak human girl, Hisakawa Keiko, to Quartzite's right   
hand, Tempest. So had Quartzite, from the humiliated former army commander, to the   
commander of the Dark Agency. Sure, he had gotten the command after Danburite died, but the   
fact was that he KNEW that Danburite was doomed to fail after learning of his desire for   
Sailor V. That was what ultimately killed him; at least, that was what Quartzite claimed.  
  
Tempest frowned. Was what she was trying to do just as foolhardy? No, of course not. Her   
case was different; Ryoku had loved her once before. She was only trying to get him to   
remember her and to get him to join her so that they could be together again, as they   
should've been.  
  
But still.... No wonder Quartzite seemed to be suspicious. He probably already suspected   
what she was doing. He was probably thinking that she would end up the same as Danburite.   
Being his most effective warrior, he would certainly be dead set against anything that   
would ultimately destroy her, since that would leave him without his best warrior. She   
snorted. It wasn't like he didn't care for her, but she knew that she would always be a   
distant second to his ambitions. That much was clear.  
  
She was about to turn the corner and start down the next street when she halted in mid-step   
and her breath caught in her throat.  
  
There he was.  
  
And he was even more handsome than she remembered.  
  
She quickly ducked behind a building and watched as Ryoku walk down the street with some   
blonde girl. A girlfriend? How could he! He said he'd never forget her! With a great deal   
of self-control, she forced herself to calm down. She couldn't really blame him. After all,   
he must've thought she had died. Of course, he'd try to move on with his life.  
  
But, she still had first claim on him. He still loved her; she knew that for certain. She   
knew him well.  
  
A sudden realization hit her as she turned to study the girl he was walking with. Now that   
she had seen both Ryoku and Masked Knight, she could see how the two were similar. When she   
applied that to the girl he was with, she could almost clearly see how much that girl   
looked like Sailor V.  
  
So.  
  
That girl wasn't a girlfriend. She was merely his partner. His friend. She still had an   
open claim on him.  
  
She grinned devilishly as she began to devise a plan. She couldn't just go up to him and   
try to turn him on the spot. That girl would certainly interfere. Also, she couldn't kill   
the girl yet. If she did, he'd be too upset to listen to her, even if she revealed her   
identity to him. His sense of honor and loyalty was a big pain at times like this. She had   
to be careful not to mess this up. One mistake and her chance would be blown.  
  
Wait.  
  
What if she brought him to meet Quartzite? Surely he could do to him whatever he did to her   
to make her acceptable to Beryl. He wouldn't have to worry about being Kino Ryoku anymore.   
He wouldn't have to worry about being Masked Knight anymore. He wouldn't have to worry   
about being a weak human anymore. He would have power. She knew that after he had thought   
she had died, he would've cursed himself for being too weak. Well, he wouldn't be weak   
anymore.  
  
A wide, eager grin spread across her face. There was no one around she had to hide from, so   
she left it there. She giggled at the idea. Her Ryo-chan - strong, powerful.... He would be   
absolutely perfect.  
  
She took in his handsome features again and sighed with desire. Oh, yes. He would be so   
perfect. All she had to do was entice him into coming with her to meet Quartzite. But in   
order to do that, she had to get rid of that girl: Sailor V.  
  
Damn. It all came back to killing that damn girl.  
  
Well, she might as well kill her, then. She would have to come up with a way to use his   
expected anger at his partner's death in order to lure him to her. Perhaps if she used one   
of the warriors as a focal point for his anger. She could use his inability to protect his   
partner as an excuse for him to see Quartzite and become stronger and turn him over to her   
side in the process. Yes, that would work. But the problem was that they were only good for   
fighting and not very good actors. She needed someone convincing. Someone....  
  
Someone like herself.  
  
Perfect.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"That was easy enough," Ryoku commented as they walked home. "It didn't take long at all,   
did it?"  
  
"It's perfect!" Minako exclaimed happily as she opened the box and examined the pendant   
inside again. It was closed, but she already knew what the picture looked like inside the   
pendant. It was a perfect fit, once they had shrunk the picture. "Now, all we have to do is   
wrap it up for tomorrow."  
  
"I hope Katrina likes it."  
  
"Oh, don't worry about it, Ryo-kun," she said confidently. "I'm sure she'll like it."  
  
Ryoku nodded, then paused as he cautiously glanced around as if searching for something.  
  
Minako caught the expression on his face, then frowned warily. "What's wrong, Ryo-kun?"  
  
"I don't know," he said as he looked around. "It was almost as if I could feel someone   
watching me...." He shrugged as he relaxed and shook his head. "Never mind. It must've been   
nothing. Let's go home, Minako-chan."  
  
As they left for home, a figure stepped out of the shadows and smirked. "Kage, I want you   
to follow them. Do not attack them, though. I want you to watch them and wait for my order   
to attack. Do you understand?"  
  
Another figure appeared out of the darkness. "Yes, Mistress," Kage replied as he sank into   
the shadows.  
  
"And what about me, Mistress?" another figure asked as she appeared behind her.  
  
"You will wait, Jade. I must prepare a trap for Sailor V. One that will guarantee her   
death."  
  
"What about Masked Knight?" Jade asked.  
  
She turned around and gave Jade a flat, icy stare. "When the time is right, I will tell you   
when to strike. That is all you need to know."  
  
"Yes, Mistress," Jade replied as she faded away.  
  
The figure began to smirk again as she stepped back into the shadows. She ran her hand   
through her short, bluish-black hair and grinned, but it was a cold grin that didn't touch   
her now ashy gray eyes. 'I guess this disguise was good for something after all,' Tempest   
thought as she disappeared into the shadows.  
  
**********************************************  
  
The next day, Katrina hurried over to Alan's house after receiving an urgent call from   
Minako asking her to come over as quickly as she could. She hoped that nothing bad had   
happened, but when she asked her, Minako would only tell her to hurry. It was strange, but   
she couldn't ignore the sense of urgency in her voice. What was even stranger was the fact   
that it didn't sould as though it was a danger-type of urgency. Still, she hurried over to   
Alan's as fast as she could go. She would find out what was so important when she got there.  
  
She got out of her car, rushed up the walkway and reached for the doorknob, turning it   
without even thinking of knocking on the door first. The door opened easily and she quickly   
stepped inside.  
  
"Happy birthday, Katrina-oneesan!" Minako shouted cheerfully as she rushed forward and   
hugged her.  
  
"What...?" Katrina said, too surprised to think clearly at the moment.  
  
"Happy birthday, Katrina," Ryoku added as he grinned at the spectacle. Beside him, Alan   
grinned as well as he watched them.  
  
"Happy birthday, Katrina," he said as he tried not to laugh. "Sorry about the abruptness   
of this, but Minako-chan said she wanted this to be a surprise."  
  
"I am surprised," she said as Minako let her go, but was still grinning up at her very   
eagerly. "How did you all know it was my birthday? I never told you...."  
  
"We found out from a friend of yours at Interpol," Ryoku explained. "Mallory Hodgeson."  
  
"Oh. Lory," Katrina said, nodding understandingly. That woman loved gossip and knew almost   
everything about everyone, or at least she seemed to. But despite being very nosy, she was   
a friendly, kind-hearted soul who meant well. Yes, she figured that Lory would tell them   
her birthday.  
  
"I'm sorry if I made you think something bad had happened," Minako said penitently. "I was   
so eager to get you to come here...."  
  
"That's all right, Minako-chan," Katrina said with a gentle smile on her face. "I'm not   
upset. Actually, I'm glad."  
  
"Really?" Minako asked.  
  
"Really."  
  
"Katrina-oneesan...," Minako said happily as she hugged her again.  
  
"Minako-chan, do you mind?" Ryoku asked with a half-smirk on his face.  
  
"Oh! Ehehehe...," she said sheepishly as she let Katrina come the rest of the way inside.   
"Sorry, Katrina-oneesan. I guess I'm a little excited...."  
  
"That's all right," Katrina said with a small laugh. "I'm happy to see you so happy."  
  
"Here, Katrina," Ryoku said as he walked up next to Minako and handed her a small   
colorfully-wrapped box. "This's from Minako-chan and myself."  
  
"Open it up!" Minako said eagerly. "I just know you're gonna love it!"  
  
"I wonder what it could be...," Katrina said wonderingly as she removed the wrappings and   
opened the box. "Oh!" she gasped as she took out the necklace and pendant. "It's lovely!   
Thank you very much, Minako-chan and Ryo-kun." She gave Minako a big hug, then gave one to   
Ryoku. Both Minako and Katrina started to laugh as they noticed Ryoku beginning to blush   
slightly.  
  
"My turn now," Alan said as he walked up and handed her a similar-sized box.  
  
"Let's see what this is...," Katrina began as she removed the wrappings and opened up his   
gift. "Oh my...," she gasped again as she stared at the contents of the box.  
  
"I wanna see!" Minako said as she tried to peer into the box to see what Alan had gotten   
for Katrina. "Wow!" she exclaimed when she saw it. "Ryo-kun! Take a look at this!"  
  
"What is it?" Ryoku asked as he glanced over to Alan. He seemed to be very pleased with the   
reactions of the two females. He merely shrugged as he gestured for him to go take a look   
for himself. "What's the big deal...?" He paused as he glanced down at what appeared to be   
a pair of elaborately carved golden earrings.  
  
"This must've been very expensive," Katrina began as she closed the box and began to hand   
it back. "I appreciate the gift, but I can't accept these...."  
  
"They didn't cost me much at all," Alan admitted as he gently pushed the box back into her   
hands. "Actually, they didn't cost me anything at all. They used to belong to my mother."  
  
"Your...," Katrina began, but Alan cut her off with a shake of his head.  
  
"Don't worry about it," he told her. "I'm sure Mother would be pleased to have her earrings   
worn by a lovely woman. Besides, I don't have much use for earrings, now do I?"  
  
Katrina laughed softly as she conceded. "All right. I'm very grateful for the gift. Thank   
you very much, Alan." She then gave him a hug as well, then, on an impulse, kissed him on   
the cheek.  
  
Minako blinked in surprise and began to frown. Ryoku noticed her change in expression and   
sighed. "So his present was much better than ours, Katrina?" he asked in a mock-upset tone.   
Minako glanced back at him in surprise, but so did Katrina and Alan.  
  
"Oh, that's not it at all," Katrina laughed as she gave him a quick kiss on his cheek as   
well. "I liked both your presents equally."  
  
Minako's ire had suddenly subsided as she watched Katrina kiss Ryoku on the cheek. He   
sighed inwardly in relief as he noticed this. "You haven't even looked inside the pendant   
yet," he pointed out as he glanced over at Minako.  
  
"That's right!" she chimed in, all smiles again. "Quick, take a look."  
  
"All right," she agreed as she opened the pendant and looked at the picture of all four of   
them standing together in a group photo. "Oh... it's wonderful. Thank you. Thank you all   
for such wonderful birthday presents."  
  
"You haven't even put any of them on, yet," Ryoku pointed out.  
  
"Oh. Well, can you and Minako-chan help me put on my new necklace?" she asked. As Minako   
and Ryoku helped her with the necklace, she put on her new earrings. "Well?" she asked as   
she finished. "How do I look?"  
  
"Very pretty, Katrina-oneesan," Minako said approvingly.  
  
"I like it, too," Ryoku agreed.  
  
"Beautiful," Alan said as he nodded his agreement. "Very beautiful."  
  
"Thank you all," Katrina said happily.  
  
"Well, now that all that's out of the way, what's next?" Ryoku asked.  
  
"Yeah," Minako agreed. "We've got to do something special to celebrate Katrina-oneesan's   
birthday, ne?"  
  
"All right, all right," Alan said with a laugh. "I know just the thing."  
  
**********************************************  
  
Thanks to Kage's surveillance, Tempest could follow Ryoku and his partner no matter where   
they went. For the most part, she was content to observe him from the shadows.  
  
He had definitely grown into quite the young man. From what she could see, he wasn't too   
heavily-built, which was good since she had grown a strong dislike for people that were   
too thickly built. Having to deal with warriors who were mostly brawn and little brain   
would do that to a person.  
  
His silverish-gray eyes were just as she remembered, too. That was what she considered his   
most attractive feature. A girl could easily get lost in the mists of his eyes and not give   
a damn if she did. Sure, he was very handsome as well, but so were a lot of guys. However,   
his eyes were captivating.  
  
"Mistress," Kage said, interrupting her musings.  
  
Damn. Right when she was beginning to enjoy herself, too.  
  
"What is it, Kage?" she asked, keeping her ire in check.  
  
"They are leaving the house and are heading out toward the downtown area. I overheard   
something about a restaurant," Kage reported.  
  
Tempest grinned. "This could be a useful turn of events," she said slowly. "I could gather   
a good deal of energy in a restaurant full of people. Not only that, but this could be the   
perfect stage to spring my trap. Kage, make sure you stay with them and wait for my command.   
Sailor V must not leave that restaurant alive."  
  
"What about Masked Knight?" Kage asked.  
  
Tempest almost growled, but she held in her anger. First, Jade. Now, Kage? Those two were   
going to be trouble if they decided to try and kill Masked Knight as well.  
  
"You and Jade will kill Sailor V. Masked Knight is mine," she said coldly. "Do you   
understand? You will both leave him to me."  
  
"Yes, Mistress," Kage agreed obsequiously.  
  
"Now, go."  
  
"Yes, Mistress," he replied and disappeared.  
  
"Jade."  
  
"You called, Mistress?" Jade replied as she appeared before Tempest.  
  
"Did you hear my orders?" There was no need to say which orders.  
  
"Yes, Mistress."  
  
"Good. Be ready. The trap is almost ready to be sprung."  
  
"Yes, Mistress. Sailor V will die."  
  
Tempest was tempted to laugh, but instead she allowed herself to grin coldly.  
  
Yes. Sailor V would die.  
  
**********************************************  
  
It was a very nice establishment, Minako thought to herself as she sat at the table their   
waiter brought them to. Since Alan insisted on going to a fancy place - one where you were   
required to dress formal - Katrina had to go back to her place and pick out a suitable   
dress for the occasion.  
  
To be honest, she was quite surprised by the choice of resturaunt. If fhe didn't know   
better, she could've sworn that this was almost like a date. But then, why would he want   
to bring her and Ryoku if he was going to go out with Katrina?  
  
Once again, she dismissed her suspicions. Why would Alan have to hide anything from her? If   
he wanted to go out with Katrina, he would say so. After all, it wasn't like she was dating   
Alan....  
  
She paused as she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Ryoku's. She smiled at him, then   
almost laughed as she watched him look her over and smile his approval at her attire. She   
was wearing a light cream-yellow dress that left the tops of her shoulders bare and went   
down to her just slightly below her knees, and red slipper-like heeled shoes.  
  
Minako winked at him as she made a show of appraising his fashion sense. He was wearing a   
very sharp combination of gray slacks and a gray dress shirt with a silver-colored necktie.   
Even his belt and buckle was colored silver-gray. Only his polished black dress shoes were   
the only things he wore that wasn't gray. It seemed to be his color. Then again, the entire   
outfit completely matched his eye color.  
  
She had been staring into Ryoku's eyes for quite some time when she realized that his hand   
was still on her bare shoulder. All of a sudden, she was very aware of the sensation of his   
skin touching hers. She felt her cheeks growing warmer as she let herself feel the touch of   
her partner's hand on her skin while she continued to gaze into his eyes. It was enough to   
almost make her forget about Alan....  
  
All at once, she suddenly realized that she was still at the restaurant with Alan. What   
would Alan be thinking? He must've noticed that she and Ryoku had been staring into each   
other's eyes for the longest time.... 'Almost like lovers,' she thought to herself as she   
turned to see what Alan's expression would be. Would he insist that they sleep in different   
rooms now? She had grown so used to sleeping with Ryoku in the same room that she would be   
very lonely at night if he would be forced to sleep elsewhere.  
  
When she turned toward Alan, she blinked in surprise.  
  
He wasn't there.  
  
"Alan went to go meet Katrina at the front," Ryoku explained after he had took his hand off   
her shoulder. He stared down at the table for a moment, giving the napkin a careful   
scrutiny. "I don't think he saw."  
  
"Saw?" Minako asked, not really trying to look at him. The intimacy of the look the two of   
them had shared earlier still played through her mind.  
  
"I think you know what I mean," he said quietly, and almost hesitantly.  
  
Minako just nodded. "Ryo-kun, I...," she began, then paused, not knowing exactly what it   
was she wanted to say. "I think... I'm confused."  
  
Ryoku nodded. "You're not the only one, Minako-chan," he replied quietly.  
  
Minako turned to look at him again. He did look very uncertain. "What are you confused   
about?" she asked, half-wondering and half-hoping it was what she thought it was.  
  
"I...," he began, then trailed off just before Alan and Katrina finally showed up.  
  
"Sorry to keep you all waiting," Katrina said apologetically as she took her seat opposite   
of Ryoku after Alan had pulled her chair out for her and pushed it back in as she sat down.   
Minako couldn't help but grin at the gentlemanly gesture; Ryoku had done the same for her   
when they had sat down at the table.  
  
"You're the guest of honor at this dinner party, Katrina," Alan said as he took his seat   
opposite of Minako. "We didn't mind waiting. Right, Minako-chan? Ryo-kun?"  
  
"Of course not," Ryoku replied as Minako shook her head.  
  
"It's your birthday we're celebrating, Katrina-oneesan," Minako said with a smile and a   
wink. "There's no way we could start without you."  
  
"Then, there's nothing for me to worry about, is there?" Katrina replied with a laugh as   
their waiter came up to their table.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Kage, Jade, report," Tempest ordered from the roof of the restaurant that Minako and Ryoku   
were inside.  
  
"They are inside, eating and talking with two older humans, one male and one female," Kage   
reported. "They are sitting at a table in the center of the building."  
  
"As soon as you give the word, I can seal off all the exits so that no one can escape,"   
Jade informed her. "No one will be able to escape."  
  
"Excellent," Tempest replied as she ran a hand through her short bluish-black hair. "The   
trap is set." A slow, malicious smile slid across her face.  
  
"Do it."  
  
**********************************************  
  
They were right in the middle of talking about how things were back in Japan - Minako had   
called back home to talk to her parents to see how they were doing - when they heard the   
scream.  
  
Instantly, Minako and Ryoku were on the alert. Katrina slowly reached down for her purse -   
and the gun she had remembered to bring, this time - and set it in her lap as she, Minako   
and Ryoku all glanced around the restaurant. Alan looked from one of his companions to the   
next, then grimaced.  
  
"Over there," Ryoku pointed out as he spotted where the trouble had begun. A waiter had   
suddenly collapsed for apparently no reason. He was lying lifelessly on the ground as a   
couple of restaurant patrons were trying to revive him. As they did so, they suddenly   
toppled over lifelessly. All three of them were now glowing faintly.  
  
"The Dark Agency...," both Minako and Ryoku murmured at the same time.  
  
As the glowing began to grow brighter, more and more people were suddenly falling over for   
no apparent reason. People on the other side of the restaurant were beginning to grow   
frightened as they suddenly stood up and made their way toward the nearest exit. However,   
once they had reached the exit, it was discovered to be covered with a hard, green crystal.  
  
"We're trapped in here!" a woman suddenly wailed.  
  
"Try the other exit!" a man exclaimed.  
  
"It's sealed shut, too!" another man shouted as they reached the other exit.  
  
"We're trapped in here!" the woman wailed again and started to cry hysterically.  
  
"What's going on?!?" another man demanded apprehensively as they all tried to find a way   
out. "The doors, the windows, everything's covered by this green crystal!"  
  
"It's a trap," Katrina said in a hushed voice as she and the others stood up.  
  
"A trap for us," Ryoku said in a cold voice as he turned to Minako. "Minako-chan, we need   
to find a place to transform."  
  
"How about the lavatory?" Alan suggested as he nodded toward the restrooms.  
  
"Perfect," Minako said as she turned toward the direction of the restrooms.   
"Katrina-oneesan, take care of Alan for us."  
  
"Right," she replied as she brought out her gun.  
  
"Come on, Ryo-kun!" she exclaimed as she began to run.  
  
"Look out!" Ryoku shouted as he dived forward and tackled Minako to the ground.  
  
"What... what're you doing?!?" she exclaimed.  
  
"Look," he said as he pointed toward what appeared to be a rippling in the air before them.   
"I think that's what was draining the others."  
  
"I'm not the only one," the shadowy figure said as it rippled and became visible. "Right   
now, Jade should be finishing off the rest of the humans."  
  
"Who are you?" Minako demanded as she and Ryoku stood up.  
  
"Kage," he said simply. "Now, Sailor V, you and your partner, Masked Knight, will die   
today."  
  
"You know?!?" Minako yelped in astonishment.  
  
"How?" Ryoku demanded.  
  
"You," Kage said, pointed directly at Ryoku. "The Mistress, she knows who you are."  
  
"Tempest???" Minako said angrily.  
  
"No, not Tempest," another figure said as it strode into the room behind Minako and Ryoku.   
"Gale."  
  
"Gale?" Minako and Ryoku repeated questioningly.  
  
"Yes, Gale," a third figure said as she suddenly appeared hovering over them. "Think of me   
as Tempest's replacement. After all her failures, the Master had decided to send her back   
to the Dark Kingdom for retraining."  
  
"The Master?" they repeated, frowning in perplexity.  
  
"Oh, yes. The Master of the Dark Agency," Gale told them with an evil smirk. "You shouldn't   
worry about him, though. You won't live long enough to meet him, anyway. Kage, Jade," she   
said as she glanced from one to the other, then back to Minako and Ryoku. "Kill Sailor V.   
Make it quick; no sense taking any chances with her. I will personally take care of Masked   
Knight."  
  
"Yes, Mistress," both warriors replied as they prepared to attack.  
  
"No time for hiding, Minako-chan," Ryoku said as he brought out his Star Sword. "It's now   
or die."  
  
"Katrina-oneesan, Alan, run!" Minako shouted as she brought out her transformation pen.   
"Moon Power Transform!"  
  
"Star Sword Power Transform!"  
  
The last thing Alan saw before he and Katrina had run for cover was seeing Minako and Ryoku   
once again transform into Sailor V and Masked Knight before preparing to fight for their   
lives.  
  
"Crescent Beam!"  
  
"Earth Thrust!"  
  
Each attack went toward a different warrior, but both managed to dodge the attacks. As   
Masked Knight prepared to chase after one of them, Gale suddenly charged at him, causing   
him to momentarily abort his previous plan. At the same time, both warriors suddenly   
charged Sailor V at the same time. She tried to dodge both attacks, but she could only   
evade one. As Jade's charge struck Sailor V at full force, she flew through the air and   
crashed through several tables on the way down to the floor.  
  
"Venus!" Masked Knight exclaimed worriedly as he tried to go help her, but Gale continued   
to press her attack.  
  
"I don't think so, boy," she said, unconsciously calling him by the same name Quartzite had   
all those years ago. "You have me to contend with. Don't worry, Jade and Kage will show   
your dear partner a good time... before she dies."  
  
With a wordless snarl and a roar of rage, Masked Knight charged at Gale. It took all she   
had to keep him at bay, but at least she had his full attention now. It was up to the   
others to take care of Sailor V.  
  
"Crescent Beam!" Sailor V shouted again, then dodged as Jade flung one crystal spike after   
another at her. Just as she dodged the last spike, she had to leap to the side in order to   
avoid another of Kage's charges. Fighting two warriors who were working as a team was   
almost impossible; she was having a hard enough time avoiding both of their attacks.  
  
"Avalanche Barrage!" Masked Knight shouted, firing a stream of stone spikes at Gale as she   
leapt around the room, avoiding his attack. As she rebounded off one of the walls, she used   
her momentum to charge into him, knocking him backward and sending him sprawling a good   
distance away. As he struggled to get to his knees, she walked up to him and kicked him in   
the side of the head, knocking him down to the floor again.  
  
"Quit wasting your energy," Gale said in a mocking tone as she laughed softly. "You can't   
win. Soon, Sailor V will die, then so will you. Give it up, boy."  
  
"Knight!" Venus exclaimed as she saw Gale kick Knight a third time, lifting him up off the   
floor and striking the wall before he hit the floor yet again. She glared at Gale angrily   
as she prepared one of her strongest attacks. "You bitch!" she roared furiously. "Crescent   
Beam Shower!" The attack sailed through the air and struck Gale in the back, knocking her   
to the floor a good distance from Masked Knight as she ran toward his side.  
  
"Damn that Sailor V," Gale growled as she stood up and glared at her. "Kage, Jade, why   
haven't either of you killed her yet?"  
  
"She's not that easy to kill, Mistress," Jade replied. "Remember, most of our warriors have   
been destroyed by her and Masked Knight."  
  
"No excuses," she cut her off shortly. "Kill Sailor V. Now."  
  
"Yes, Mistress," both warriors agreed as they charged forward again. Jade flung several   
crystal spikes at Sailor V, but they were quickly knocked away by Masked Knight's Star   
Sword as it cut through the air in front of her.  
  
"Knight, are you all right?" Sailor V asked as she helped her partner to his feet.  
  
"I'm fine," he replied as he stood up. "Ready to go another round?"  
  
Sailor V nodded grimly. "I still owe that Gale for what she did to you."  
  
"All right, then," he said as he raised his Star Sword. "Keep your eye on me and hopefully   
we can take out one of them."  
  
Kage charged again, but this time, Masked Knight charged forward to meet his charge with   
one of his own. He leapt forward and performed a quick jump kick on Kage. The kick was so   
quick and unexpected that it knocked Kage a short distance back onto the floor. He used the   
kick to spring off of Kage and leap toward Jade with his Star Sword held out at the ready.   
Jade threw one crystal spike after another at him, but each one was slashed away by his   
Star Sword. As he sailed over Jade's head, he threw his Star Sword at her, which stabbed   
straight through her right foot and effectively pinned her in place.  
  
"What?!?" Jade exclaimed in shock as she stared down at the sword sticking through her foot   
and into the floor.  
  
"Now, Venus!" Knight exclaimed as he landed. "Avalanche Barrage!"  
  
Jade looked up from her tugging on Masked Knight's sword to see that she was now caught in   
a cross-fire. "Uh-oh...."  
  
"Not this time!" Gale shouted as she charged at Sailor V, but she was already too late.  
  
"Crescent Beam Shower!" Sailor V shouted and fired her attack just before Gale stuck her.   
The two attacks crashed hard into Jade, destroying her just as Kage had recovered enough to   
charge Masked Knight. He was also knocked backward and hit the floor beside Sailor V.  
  
"Damn you...," Gale growled seethingly. "Damn you, both! Another one of our warriors, gone   
thanks to you two! I will kill you both for this!!!"  
  
"Tempest!" a voice suddenly boomed out from nowhere.  
  
"Master, this isn't Tempest," Kage said obsequiously as he bowed. "You sent Tempest back   
to the Dark Kingdom for retraining, remember? This is...."  
  
"Keiko!!!" the disembodied voice boomed again, this time impatiently and very irritably.  
  
Masked Knight jerked in surprise at the name.  
  
"Yes, Master?" Gale replied weakly.  
  
Masked Knight's eyes widened in extreme shock after seeing Gale answer to the name. He   
didn't say anything; he just stared.  
  
"Whatever game it is you're playing, drop it and come back to the warehouse," he ordered.   
"Now. It's almost time."  
  
"Yes, Master," she replied with a cold grimace as she turned toward Kage. "We're going   
back, Kage. Let's go."  
  
"Yes, Mistress," Kage replied as he stepped into the shadows and disappeared.  
  
"As for you two," Gale said as she stared coldly at Sailor V and Masked Knight over her   
shoulder, "this is only a slight delay. I will personally see to it that you both die.   
Remember that." With that, she disappeared.  
  
"Minako-chan? Ryo-kun?" Katrina called out as she and Alan came out of hiding. "Are you   
both all right?"  
  
"We're fine, Katrina-oneesan," Sailor V replied tiredly. "Sorry about your birthday being   
ruined like this...."  
  
"Don't worry about it," Katrina replied as she hugged her. "I'm just glad that you and   
Ryo-kun are all right. That's all I could ask for."  
  
"Minako-chan," Ryoku said as he changed back from being Masked Knight. "Do you remember   
what the Master said?"  
  
"You mean, about it almost being time?" she asked as she changed back from being Sailor V.  
  
"Yes," he replied grimly. "I don't think we have a lot of time left, Minako-chan. The Dark   
Agency must be planning something really big. If we don't stop them now, then something   
terrible could happen that could make everything we've done seem pointless."  
  
"You really think so, Ryo-kun?" Minako asked worriedly.  
  
"Can't you feel it, Minako-chan?" he asked, frowning.  
  
Slowly, she nodded her agreement. "I can feel it, too."  
  
"I don't think we can wait for them anymore," he said in a cold, emotionless tone. "I think   
we have to go to them."  
  
"You mean, we're going to take on the entire Dark Agency?!?" Minako exclaimed incredulously.  
  
"We may have to," Ryoku replied evenly. "It's come to this: them or us. Once we go take on   
the Dark Agency on their own grounds, one side won't be coming back."  
  
"I really don't like the sound of that," Alan said quietly. "But I suppose that you really   
don't have much of a choice, do you?" He sighed as he hugged Minako, then Ryoku. "I just   
want you two to know that I have faith in you both. I just know that you two will make it   
back."  
  
"I remember overhearing that Master person saying something about a warehouse," Katrina   
pointed out. "One of the criminals that we're currently after has his base of operations in   
one of the warehouses near the harbor. If it's the same guy, then maybe I can provide a   
little bit of backup for you two. I know that our guns may not be very effective, but maybe   
a little distraction might mean the difference between victory and defeat."  
  
"That's a good idea," Minako said as she turned to Ryoku. "Don't you think so, Ryo-kun?"  
  
"I agree," he replied with a nod. "So, when is Interpol going to take down this...   
'criminal'?"  
  
"In two days," she replied.  
  
"Then Minako-chan," he said as he turned toward his partner, "you and I have two days to   
prepare ourselves for the final battle with the Dark Agency."  
  
**********************************************  
  
"What were you doing, Tempest?" Quartzite asked as he raised a disapproving eyebrow.   
"Disguising yourself as another person? I can understand that, but why did you feel that   
you had to fool Kage and Jade as well?" He turned around and took a few steps toward the   
door, then looked at her over his shoulder. "Furthermore, you make up this story that you   
have been sent back to the Dark Kingdom for retraining and that you, as Gale, were taking   
your place. Why? What are you trying to hide, Tempest?"  
  
"I'm not trying to hide anything!" she exclaimed.  
  
"Then, what are you trying to accomplish?" he asked calmly. "Why not just kill Sailor V and   
Masked Knight as Tempest? Why are you going through all this trouble?"  
  
It was time to lie. There was no telling what he would think about her going to so much   
trouble just to convert Masked Knight. "I was merely trying to confuse our enemies," she   
told him. "I wanted to catch them off-guard so I could finally kill them."  
  
Quartzite looked up to the evening sky and nodded slightly to himself. "So you say," he   
said finally.  
  
"It's true!!!" she shouted indignantly.  
  
"I never said I didn't believe you," he said without taking his eyes from his contemplative   
study of the stars. "Your defensiveness leads me to wonder, though."  
  
Tempest winced. Damn. He certainly was a sly bastard. She wisely decided to keep her mouth   
shut, lest she dig herself in further.  
  
Quartzite nodded again, this time almost approvingly, as if he could read her mind. "Still,   
you did manage to gather an impressive amount of energy. That is good. Unfortunately - or   
fortunately, depending on how you choose to look at it - this will have to be the last   
batch of energy we will send to the Dark Kingdom."  
  
"The last?" Tempest asked, then paused and blinked as she realized something. "Wait. You   
said 'Dark Kingdom' and not 'Queen Beryl' like you usually do."  
  
"Did I?" he asked as he glanced at her over his shoulder with an insinuating grin, then   
turned his gaze toward the rest of the harbor. Their warehouse was far from the water, but   
it was still close enough to be considered part of the harbor.  
  
Tempest's mouth curved slightly in vexation, but she decided to leave off the matter for   
now. "So, what's going on?" she asked. "Are we going back to the Dark Kingdom, then?"  
  
Quartzite was silent for a long time. The silence was beginning to disturb her before he   
finally answered her. "We are going back to Japan, yes," he told her, then left without   
even looking at her.  
  
She was about to call after him, when she stopped. He was up to something. Something big.   
Something very big. From what she could determine from his enigmatic words, she suspected   
that he wasn't planning on going back to the Dark Kingdom. But, that made no sense.   
Everything Quartzite did was aimed toward the goal of becoming a Dark Kingdom General. For   
him to just leave the Dark Kingdom without any reason was the complete antithesis of   
everything that she knew him to be. It made no sense at all. She had to be mistaken.  
  
Unless....  
  
She suddenly recalled what he had said to her when he had recalled her. He said to come   
back to the warehouse.  
  
He had revealed to Sailor V and Masked Knight exactly where they were hiding.  
  
Normally, a slip-up like this could be considered to be the zenith, the apex, the pinnacle,   
the ultimate of all mistakes, but she knew better. Knowing Quartzite, he had done this   
purposely.  
  
Now, everything was clear. Quartzite wanted them to come. It was going to be the final   
battle between them and the Dark Agency with everything put on the line. Whether Quartzite   
himself was planning on joining the battle remained to be seen, but she knew that she would   
be there with the last two of their warriors, Kage and Chimei.  
  
She knew that Quartzite was making plans for their return, but whether their return would   
be in success or failure remained to be seen. In addition, she had to find a way to make   
sure that Masked Knight survived long enough for her to turn him over to their side. There   
were so many things to she had to think about and she didn't have much time left. Things   
were becoming way too complicated. One thing was certain: whatever she had to do, it had to   
be done now.  
  
Time was running out.  
  
**********************************************  
  
  
Disclaimer: All original materials belong to their respective   
owners. Sailor Moon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi and a bunch   
of big companies. No copyright infringement is intended. This   
story belongs me, so I would appreciate it very much if you  
would ask for permission before posting it anywhere else.   
Thank you.  
  
The Question and all stories included are:  
Copyright © July 6, 2001 Jason C. Ulloa.   
All Rights Reserved. 


	20. Chapter 19

Alone No More: Minako's Story  
by Jason C. Ulloa  
  
  
Chapter 19  
  
It was almost a half-hour past midnight when Minako suddenly woke up from a fitful sleep,   
her breathing ragged and her hair messily drapped in front of her face as she bolted   
upright and stared straight ahead at nothing, while trying to calm herself. Her pajama top   
was lightly soaked with her sweat as she stared down at where her hands were clenching her   
blankets.  
  
The nightmare was horrible. There were more enemies there than she or Ryoku had ever faced;   
more than she could have imagined. She could see their hatred in their eyes, their   
bloodlust obvious. And it was their blood they wanted. Of course, they had put up a valiant   
fight, but in the end, they were overwhelmed. She could hear Ryoku's screams of pain as   
they had advanced on her....  
  
Wearily, she made her hands let go of the blanket as she started to lie back down again,   
but she stopped as she realized that sleep at that moment was more than likely going to be   
impossible. Well, she might as well change her pajama top since Ryoku was asleep, and since   
it was dark, she could change her top without him seeing.  
  
"Nightmare?" she heard him ask as soon as had removed her pajama top.  
  
She reflexively covered her chest with her arms, even though she was wearing a bra and   
there was only the light of the stars to see by, but she dropped them when she realized   
that he couldn't see her anyway.  
  
"Must've been a nightmare," he continued. "You're all sweaty."  
  
Minako stared down toward the area he usually slept in while covering her chest again. How   
could he see in such darkness? He must have really good eyes.... The sound of fumbling in   
the darkness, followed by something suddenly hitting her in the head, surprised her.  
  
"Gomen, Minako-chan," he said apologetically as he settled back down into his blankets on   
the floor. "I can't see much of anything right now." He paused for a moment. "I only hope   
I got a matching top for you; we'll have to see in the morning if the colors match." He   
laid back down with a soft laugh.  
  
In the darkness, Minako frowned in confusion as she put the dry pajama top back on. "If   
you can't see me, how did you know I woke up all sweaty? How did you know I even had a   
nightmare?"  
  
There was a short silence before he spoke. "I've been awake for the past three hours,   
staring at the ceiling while thinking. When I heard you sitting up and breathing hard, I   
had a feeling I knew what the problem was. I was about to say something when I heard you   
taking off your pajama top. Why else would you take your top off, unless it was all   
sweaty?"  
  
"So, you didn't see me without my top on."  
  
"Unfortunately, that is true," he replied humorously. "It's too bad, though. I'm sure it   
would've been a sight to see."  
  
Minako was about to reply to that when what he had said earlier hit her. "You've been up   
almost the entire night?" she asked concernedly. "Thinking?"  
  
"That's right."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"Everything."  
  
Minako blinked in confusion. "Everything?"  
  
"Our upcoming final battle," he explained. "Our previous battle. Alan and Katrina.   
Mako-chan. Home. Artemis and the search for our allies. The Dark Agency. The Dark Kingdom."   
He was quiet for a long time, then spoke in a quiet murmur so low that she almost hadn't   
heard him. "You... and us."  
  
There was something different in his voice when he said those last few words. She was about   
to ask him what he meant when he said us when she suddenly remembered something. "Ryo-kun,"   
she began tentatively, "after that last battle, you acted as though you recognized Gale's   
real name. Keiko, I think he called her."  
  
Ryoku gave a long sigh. "It's a very long story, Minako-chan. One that I'm not very fond of   
remembering."  
  
"Why's that?" she asked and immediately regretted it. "Oh, I'm sorry, Ryo-kun. You don't   
have to tell me if you don't want to...."  
  
"That's all right. You are my best friend, Minako-chan. I don't need to keep any secrets   
from you.  
  
"Keiko... was the name of my last... and only girlfriend. Hisakawa Keiko."  
  
"Oh.... So, that's why you acted as though you had seen a ghost," she realized.  
  
"What are you talking about?" he asked. "Oh. I see. Mako-chan must've told you the story   
already."  
  
"Are you upset, Ryo-kun? That I found out from your sister before you could tell me?   
Mako-chan told me the story herself; I never asked her about it."  
  
"No, I'm not mad," he said after a while. "I guess it saves me the trouble of having to   
go through painful memories again."  
  
"I'm sorry, Ryo-kun...."  
  
"There was a time when I would've told you to keep your sypmathies to yourself, or said   
that sorry wouldn't bring Keiko back, but I think I'm over that now. Do you remember how I   
was when you first met me, Minako-chan?"  
  
"I remember," she replied with a small smile. "You didn't seem to want to talk to anyone,   
except for me or Hikaru-chan. You tended to avoid people, even when they obviously wanted   
to talk to you." Ryoku nodded in the darkness. "However, as Hikaru-chan and I got to know   
you, you began to become more friendly. More... normal."  
  
Ryoku laughed softly. "Oh, so I wasn't normal, then?"  
  
Minako laughed as well. "That's not what I meant and you know it."  
  
"I know. But, you're right. I became more normal, as you put it. I began to smile and laugh   
again. Do you know why, Minako-chan? It was because of your friendship. Yours and   
Hikaru-chan's, but mostly yours.  
  
"Your bubbling enthusiasm and cheerfulness was very infectious when I first met you, which   
was perhaps what drew me toward you. You had an abundance of the happiness that I had lost   
a long time ago. Whenever I was around you, I began to feel that happiness seep inside of   
me, slowly filling the empty void that had grown since I lost Keiko.  
  
"But that wasn't it. The more I got to know you, the more I began to like you. Not only   
that, but I also began to feel a certain... familiarity with you. As if I used to know you,   
or someone like you." He gave a quick laugh. "Of course, that was before I found out that   
you were Sailor V, or that I was Masked Knight."  
  
"Ryo-kun... can I ask you a question?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Back at school in Tokyo, I remember seeing you turn down girls who had asked you to go on   
dates with them. Why?"  
  
Ryoku was silent for a very long time.  
  
"Ryo-kun?"  
  
There was another silence before he finally spoke. "I used to think that it was because I   
felt as though I didn't want to betray Keiko's memory by going out with another girl and   
forgetting about her, but now.... I'm not sure, Minako-chan, but I think it's because I   
know that in a way, Keiko's watching over me, waiting for me to find the right girl."  
  
"The right girl?" she asked, slightly confused. "How would you know if you had found the   
right girl?"  
  
"I don't know for sure, but I'm sure that there will be some kind of sign... or maybe I'll   
just... know. Kind of like in volleyball when you are going to spike the ball and you just   
know that it's going to score. You know what I mean?"  
  
"I think so," she said as turned to look toward where he was lying on the floor.  
  
"Minako-chan, I've been meaning to tell you...," he began suddenly. Minako quickly turned   
to look anxiously at him, wondering what he was going to say.  
  
"Yes, Ryo-kun?"  
  
"I haven't been completely honest with you."  
  
She swallowed suddenly. They had been talking about how he had been looking for the right   
girl, and now this. Was he going to say that he had feelings for her?  
  
"I..."  
  
"Yes, Ryo-kun?"  
  
"I... have been contacting Artemis back home ever since I got our communicators to work."  
  
She almost facefaulted. She was sorely tempted to, but that would give away what she was   
thinking. She knew him, he was quick and his insight was sharp. He would certainly know   
what her facefaulting at that point would mean.  
  
"You mean...."  
  
"If you want, we can talk to Artemis right now," he told her. "After all, he might be able   
to tell us if he's found any more of our allies back home. And, we can tell him that we're   
about to begin what could be the biggest fight of our lives."  
  
"Ryo-kun, you said 'any more of our allies'," she said suddenly. "How many do you already   
know about?"  
  
He sighed as he shook his head. "I'm sorry. I should've told you sooner, but Artemis and I   
thought that you didn't need to worry about this until our fight with the Dark Agency was   
over."  
  
"Who's idea was it?" she asked. Her voice wasn't harsh, but it wasn't very happy, either.  
  
"Both," he admitted. "Mostly his, but I had some part in it as well."  
  
"I see.... So, how many allies do we have back home?"  
  
"Well, first, Artemis said that his contact, Luna, had found Sailor Moon. Luna is the one   
who's actively searching for our allies, by the way. Then, Luna found Sailor Mercury, then   
Sailor Mars. Since we know that we are Sailor Venus and Sailor Knight, that leaves only   
Sailor Jupiter as the last of our allies to be found."  
  
"When did you last talk with him, Ryo-kun?"  
  
"Not too long ago. A few days, maybe."  
  
"Do you think you could contact him now?" she asked, sitting up and moving her legs so that   
they were resting on the floor. "It should be day back home, ne?"  
  
He nodded as he moved to retrieve his communicator, which was resting on the floor not too   
far from his pillow. "Do you want me to turn on the light?" he asked as he sat up and   
turned on the communicator.  
  
"No," she replied as she pushed herself off the bed and sat down next to him. "Ryo-kun, do   
you mind if I borrow part of your blanket to put over my legs? I don't want to drag my own   
blanket down here since that'll make it harder for me to set the bed in the morning."  
  
"I don't mind," he replied and moved over so that she could flip the blanket over her legs.   
"Your feet are cold already," he remarked as her foot touched his leg.  
  
"It's colder than usual tonight, ne, Ryo-kun?" she said as she glanced down at him fiddling   
with the communicator.  
  
"Hmm...," he replied as he adjusted the communicator so that he would be able to reach   
Artemis back in Japan. "Ah, got it. Now, we wait until he answers his end...."  
  
"Moshi moshi?" Artemis answered in a slightly groggy tone. "What is it, Ryo-kun?"  
  
Minako stiffled a giggle. "Catnapping in the afternoon, Artemis?" she asked. "How very like   
you."  
  
"Mina?!?" Artemis said in surprise. "Wha...? How...? Where's Ryo-kun?"  
  
"Right here, Artemis," he replied.  
  
"Uh... hi, Mina," Artemis said in a chagrined voice. "It's nice to hear from you again."  
  
"I'm going to have a long talk with you when we come back home," she said sternly.   
"Honestly, keeping your communications with Ryo-kun a secret from me. How could you do this   
to your owner?"  
  
"Um... well...," he floundered as he tried to come up with an answer. "Uh, gomen nasai?"  
  
"Artemis, Ryo-kun tells me that you have found almost all of our allies."  
  
"Actually, Luna has found them," he corrected. "Ryo-kun has already told you about Luna,   
right?"  
  
"He has. So, have either you or Luna found the last one? Sailor... Jupiter?"  
  
"Actually, Luna had just found Sailor Jupiter last night," he informed them. "All that's   
left is for you two to finish your task in England and you can join up with them."  
  
"That's great!" she said happily. "So, do you know who they are? Do you know their names?"  
  
"Luna has yet to tell me," he told them.  
  
"Oh...," she said disappointedly. "Oh, well. We'll have plenty of time to find out about   
them when we return."  
  
"Right," Artemis agreed. "At any rate, how are things there in England?"  
  
Minako and Ryoku exchanged glances as they recalled the grim news that they had to tell   
him. They were grateful that he couldn't see their faces since it was so dark.  
  
"Minako-chan and I are going to attempt to break into the Dark Agency's main base and   
finish them off for good," Ryoku told him. "We have a feeling that they might try something   
big if we don't stop them now."  
  
"Are you serious?" he asked gravely.  
  
"Very. The day after tomorrow, it will be them or us."  
  
Artemis went silent as he took in the situation. "Are you both ready for this?" he asked.   
"It will be the most dangerous fight you've ever been in. One or both of you may die."  
  
"We know, Artemis," Minako replied as she held onto Ryoku's arm for emotional support. Her   
voice might've been steady, but inside she was scared. The nightmare that had awakened her   
so abruptly began to replay in her mind. "But, we have to do this."  
  
Ryoku put a comforting hand on her hers, but she felt him shiver slightly, even if he   
didn't show any signs of it. He was just as frightened as she was. It made her feel   
relieved and even more scared at the same time. Relieved, because she knew that she wasn't   
worrying over nothing; the threat was very real. More scared, because if HE was   
frightened....  
  
"Don't worry, Artemis," he told him confidently. "Neither of us will die. We'll take care   
of the Dark Agency and be back in Japan before you know it."  
  
"Of course," Artemis replied, some of his earlier concern eased slightly. "As long as you   
both look out for one another, you'll both be fine."  
  
"It's getting late over here, Artemis, so Minako-chan and I are going back to sleep. Is   
there anything else you need to tell us before we go?"  
  
"Just one more thing. Good luck, both of you. Come back safely. Oyasumi nasai." With that,   
he closed his end of the connection.  
  
As Ryoku set the communicator back down on the floor, he realized that Minako hadn't let go   
of his arm yet. He turned to look at her, even though he wouldn't be able to see her very   
well due to the darkness. "Minako-chan?"  
  
"Are you frightened, Ryo-kun?" she asked, her voice a whisper as she looked up at him. He   
could see that her eyes held a measure of nervous fear. "Do you think that we'll be able to   
defeat the entire Dark Agency all at once, by ourselves?"  
  
"There shouldn't be that many left," he replied as his hand gently squeezed hers   
reassuringly. "Don't worry. Now, get some sleep."  
  
"Ryo-kun...," she said earnestly, her tone pleading as she stared into his eyes.  
  
He closed his eyes as he looked away, but he could still feel her holding onto his arm,   
waiting for his honest answer.  
  
"Yes," he said in a soft murmur so low that she would've missed it if she wasn't listening   
for it. "I'm scared, too. This isn't going to be anything like any of our previous fights,   
Minako-chan. The possibility of dying will be very high since we're going into unknown   
enemy territory. They have a high advantage in this upcoming battle and they know it. I can   
guarantee that they will take full advantage of it.  
  
"But, even though I'm scared, I know that as long as I have you with me, I'll survive. We   
will make it, Minako-chan. We will win. We have to. Everyone is counting on us, even if   
they don't know about it."  
  
"I know," she agreed as she rested her head on his shoulder. "I know we'll make it,   
Ryo-kun. It's like you said, as long as you're by my side, I know I'll make it through. We   
have relied on each other through countless battles with the Dark Agency. This one won't be   
any different."  
  
"That's right," he agreed, nodding. "Do you feel better, Minako-chan? Do you think you can   
go back to sleep now?"  
  
"Can I ask you a favor, Ryo-kun?" she asked hesitantly.  
  
"What is it, Minako-chan?"  
  
"Can I...? Do you mind if...? Would you mind if I...?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
She felt her cheeks flush as she thought about it, but if worse did come to worse....  
  
"Ryo-kun, can I sleep down here? With you?"  
  
She suddenly felt his entire body stiffen in shock. "Nan... NANI?!?"  
  
"I... I just want you to be near me, Ryo-kun," she told him. "That's all. I had a nightmare   
where you were...." She trailed off as she shook her head sadly. "I don't even want to   
think about it. It's just... I feel so much better when I'm near you like this," she said   
as she hugged his arm. "Safer. Please, Ryo-kun?"  
  
She could feel him slowly relax himself as he turned his head to look down at her. Finally,   
he sighed slowly as he laid back down in his blankets. Since she hadn't let go of his arm   
yet, she laid down beside him as he pulled the blanket up over both of them.  
  
"Oyasumi, Minako-chan," he said quietly as he settled in to go back to sleep.  
  
"Oyasumi, Ryo-kun," she replied as she rested her head on his shoulder again and felt   
herself drift back to sleep.  
  
The last thought that Ryoku had before falling asleep was wondering what Alan would think   
if he came into their room and saw them sleeping together like this. He fell asleep with a   
small smile on his face.  
  
**********************************************  
  
Damn Quartzite and his plans! If it wasn't for him, she could devise a better plan to bring   
Ryoku to her. But now, she had to come up with a plan on the fly. She wasn't very good at   
spontaneity; she was better at making plans carefully. The only thing was that the only   
opportunities she had for making plans was when she was plotting to convert Ryoku to her   
side.  
  
Tempest clenched her teeth and snorted in frustration. For all she knew, Sailor V and   
Masked Knight could come at any moment and here she was without a well thought out plan   
ready. Oh, she had a very good idea of what she wanted to happen, but it was just an   
overview. An outline. It lacked the small details and that was always what killed a great   
plan. Lack of attention to the small details. Unfortunately, she didn't know how much time   
she had left to work on those accursed small details. And that was what was going to wreck   
her plans.  
  
Damn that Quartzite! If only she had some prior warning!  
  
Well, complaining wasn't going to get her Ryoku, even if it was only in her mind and to   
herself. She had to get ready for when those two would attack.  
  
She went over to check on Kage and Chimei, but changed into her Gale disguise before doing   
so. She still needed that disguise if she was going to have any chance to turn Ryoku. Kage   
was perfectly fine; all of his injures from the last fight were superficial, so they were   
all gone now. He was fully rested and ready to fight once Sailor V and Masked Knight showed   
themselves.  
  
Chimei was quietly staring at her as she approached her. "You are disguised," she stated   
as she watched Tempest approach. "Why?"  
  
Tempest considered Chimei for a moment. She was perhaps their most dangerous warrior since   
she had a great deal of strength and intelligence combined. There were two reasons why she   
had never used her, though. One was for an emergency like this, when the enemy was   
threatening to invade their home base. The other reason....  
  
"Did you not hear me?" she asked again. "Why are you disguised?"  
  
Chimei was... arrogant. She knew she was their most powerful warrior. Her power was just   
under her own, which didn't make her feel any better whatsoever. However, she did know her   
place, but she couldn't help but keep pushing the limits, just to see how far she could go   
and what she could get away with.  
  
"It is none of your concern, Chimei," Tempest said coldly. "You are to obey my orders. That   
is your only concern."  
  
"And who are you?" she asked haughtily. "You come to me in disguise and expect me to follow   
your orders? Unless you are Master Quartzite - which I VERY highly doubt - or Tempest, you   
are of no consequence to me."  
  
She hated Chimei. Of course, Chimei was perfectly obsequious to Quartzite. Hell, she'd   
probably bed the guy if he asked. However, she always gave her a hard time, even though she   
had to forcefully make her acknowledge her superiority at first. A small smile curved her   
lips. Yes, perhaps that was just what was in order right now.  
  
With a wordless scowl, she reached out and grabbed Chimei by the throat and released a   
small, steady flow of power from her hand into her. It was small at first and Chimei merely   
laughed, but that was what she wanted. Slowly, she increased the power until she had   
stopped laughing and started looking at her with an expression of surprise. As she   
increased the power even further, she began to struggle in her grasp as she tried to free   
herself. However, she had her now and she wasn't going to let go until she begged.  
  
"All right! All right! I yield!" she all but screamed.  
  
Much better.  
  
"Who...? Who are you... Mistress?" she asked. "Are you... Tempest?"  
  
She was almost tempted to tell her that she was indeed Tempest, but that could wait until   
later. Right now, she needed Chimei to know her as her new identity.  
  
"My name is Gale," she told her in her most icy voice. "And you will never speak to me in   
such disrespectful tones again. The next time you do, it will take you days to heal. And   
the next time will take you weeks. The next after that will take months." She gave her a   
cold stare that threatened to freeze her soul... if she had one. "You most certainly do not   
want to go any further than that."  
  
"Yes, Mistress!" Chimei nodded emphatically and Tempest grinned inwardly. She had never   
seen her so cowed since she thought that she had affronted Quartzite. She was almost   
tempted to reveal that she was Tempest just to see what reaction she would get.  
  
"Good," she said in satisfaction. "Now, rest up and be ready. We are expecting our enemies   
to attack at any moment."  
  
"Mistress Gale, if I may ask, what happened to Tempest?" Chimei asked.  
  
"You mean, 'Mistress Tempest'?" she asked pointedly. "I take it that you seem to have a   
problem with speaking to your superiors without their proper titles?"  
  
"No, Mistress Gale!" she amended quickly. "I meant to say, what happened to Mistress   
Tempest, Mistress Gale?"  
  
Oh, this was so much fun.  
  
"Tempest has been sent back to the Dark Kingdom for some additional training," she told   
her. "And that is more than you need to know." She didn't really need to add the last bit,   
but it couldn't hurt. The chastened look on her face was more than worth it, though.  
  
With that out of the way, she turned and left, feeling very pleased with herself. Even if   
her problems with Ryoku were still there, she still felt a little bit better. Maybe now she   
could think and plan her way out of this corner she was in.  
  
**********************************************  
  
The night before the final confrontation with the Dark Agency, Minako had several   
conflicting thoughts and feelings. After she had sparred with Ryoku and worked on her   
fighting techniques as Sailor V, she and Ryoku had a long talk with Alan and Katrina,   
mostly going over what was going to happen the next day.  
  
Apparently, she and Ryoku, along with Katrina and several other Interpol officers, were   
going to surround the warehouse complex and attempt to infiltrate it. It sounded easy   
enough, but they knew it was going to be different. Before they could get to the Master,   
they had to go through Kage, Gale, perhaps Tempest, and who knew how many other Dark Agency   
warriors were left.  
  
Ryoku and Katrina were mostly concerned with how they were going to try to take down the   
Master with as few casualties as possible, but Minako was only concerned with the safety of   
her 'big sister' Katrina and Ryoku. Sure, she didn't want any of the other Interpol   
officers to get hurt either, but her main concern lay with those two. And Alan, of course,   
but he wasn't going to be there. That was a small consolation, though.  
  
After the inital planning was done, Katrina said her goodbyes and told them to meet her at   
the appointed place by five the next day. It would be close to dusk by then and they would   
have the cover of oncoming darkness to hide their approach. Or, so the other Interpol   
officers thought. The four of them knew better, though.  
  
She was feeling scared again, so before they went to bed, she had asked Ryoku to leave his   
bedroll rolled up and to sleep with her in the bed like they did last night on the floor.   
It was easier after last night and since it would probably be the last night that they   
would spend at Alan's house, it seemed... right, in a way, for them to spend the night   
together like this.  
  
Minako thought through all of the arrangements that they had made on the off-chance that   
they would die tomorrow. They had already been transferred out of the school that they had   
been attending and where scheduled to go back to their school on the following Monday.   
Their personal items were all packed up and ready to be sent back home. The next day, after   
Alan would check their items in for them on the flight that they were scheduled to take   
back to Tokyo, Artemis would arrange for their luggage to disappear and for them to be   
reported as kidnapped from the airport. It was the best they could do; they didn't want   
Alan to take any of the blame for what might happen, which was why he and Katrina were to   
remain silent on what had really happened to them.  
  
All of those thoughts began to eat at her mind until she found herself worrying again. She   
pulled Ryoku closer to her as she fought the fear that was bubbling up inside her.  
  
"Mmm... don't worry, Minako-chan...," he mumbled in his sleep as he shifted onto his side   
and unconsciously threw an arm over her in semblance of some sort of half-embrace. "I'll   
protect you.... I won't let them... hurt you...."  
  
Minako blinked in surprise as she found her face mere centimeters away from Ryoku's. His   
slow breath warmed and tickled at her neck, easing her anxiety just as much as his words -   
carelessly mumbled in his sleep, but meaningful nonetheless - did. She reminded herself   
that there was nothing to worry about; they would succeed and return home with fond   
memories of Alan and Katrina and the time that they had spent here together.  
  
With a fond sigh for her slumbering partner and best friend, she turned over and scooted   
herself further into his embrace, allowing the feeling of his warm breath on her neck to   
relax her into a deep sleep. Her worries could wait until tomorrow.  
  
**********************************************  
  
As Katrina watched the sun go down past what she could see of the horizon, behind several   
of London's many buildings, she turned toward the two who were waiting patiently behind   
her and sighed.  
  
"I wish it didn't have to be like this," she said reluctantly.  
  
"I know, Katrina-oneesan," Sailor V said sadly. "I wish we could stay a little while   
longer, but after we take care of things here, we have to go back. We're needed back home."  
  
"Do you think you could stay just one more day?" she asked hopefully. "Abrupt goodbyes are   
just too sad."  
  
"Unfortunately, some goodbyes have to be that way," Masked Knight remarked quietly.   
"Sometimes, we have no choice. But, at least we have plenty of fond memories to cherish   
after we go."  
  
"Don't worry, Katrina-oneesan," Sailor V said with a smile and a wink. "Perhaps we'll see   
each other again."  
  
"I would love that," she said with a fond smile for the both of them.  
  
"Katrina, everyone's in position," one of the Interpol officers reported as he hurried up   
to them.  
  
"Good," she replied with a satisfied nod. "Have everyone prepare to move in thirty minutes."  
  
"Right," he replied and hurried off to relay the message.  
  
"That should give you both enough of a head-start," Katrina told them after he had left.   
"Be careful, both of you."  
  
"You, too," they both replied and took off running.  
  
Katrina watched them until they were out of sight. "And, good luck," she whispered as she   
turned to wait for the thirty minutes to expire. No matter what, once that time was up, she   
would find them. Ryoku and Minako were like a little brother and sister to her and she   
would make damn sure that they made it out of there alive.  
  
**********************************************  
  
Since the sun was already down, there were many dark shadows around the warehouses they   
were searching. Within one of them, the Dark Agency had their home base.  
  
"Which one do you think it is?" Sailor V asked as she glanced from one warehouse to the   
next.  
  
"Your guess is as good as mine," Masked Knight replied as he turned and started toward one.   
"How about we try this one?" After seeing her nod and get ready for the possibility of an   
ambush, he reached out toward the doorknob and turned it.  
  
It was locked.  
  
"Hmm," he said as he tried to turn it again, then tried to peer through the small, round   
glass window on the door. "I guess this one might not be it."  
  
"What makes you say that, Knight?"  
  
"There's nothing but crates in there," he told her. "No room for anything else."  
  
"How about we try another one?" she suggested as he moved any from the door.  
  
"Which one?"  
  
Just as she was about to pick a warehouse, a shadow suddenly flickered into motion just   
slightly out of their sight, but close enough to be noticed.  
  
"Did you see that?"  
  
"I saw it, Venus. I think we're being watched. However, we're definitely in the right   
place."  
  
Sailor V grimaced. "That's nice to know."  
  
"Welcome, Sailor V and Masked Knight!" a voice called out from within the shadows.  
  
"Gale! I recognize that voice!" Sailor V shouted angrily. "Come out! Show yourself!"  
  
"Are you joking?" she laughed. "Do you really think that I'm going to give up my hiding   
place, just like that? If you want me, come and find me. Wait. Let me give you a little...   
hint."  
  
"Look out!" Masked Knight shouted as he dove to the ground and pulled Sailor V down with   
him. Above them, a large blast of black energy flew past where their heads once were.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry," Gale laughed. "Did I almost hit you?" The laughter cut off as her voice   
turned hard and cold. "I have the advantage here. Your coming here was a foolish mistake on   
your part. A foolish... and fatal mistake."  
  
"Come on, Venus!" Masked Knight shouted as he started running toward where the blast   
originated from. "If we hurry, we can catch Gale!"  
  
"I'm right behind you, Knight!" she said as she started running after him. Just moments   
after she had taken to her heels, she felt something tackle her from the side and knock the   
wind out of her.  
  
"Venus?" Masked Knight said as he slowed down and glanced over his shoulder to see if she   
was all right. As soon as he glanced over his shoulder, he felt something tackle him from   
the other side, sending him flying through the air and hitting the ground hard.  
  
"Where're you going, little boy?" Chimei asked as she walked up to him and stepped on his   
head, forcing his face back down into the ground. "Mistress Gale says that you're not to   
interrupt until she's finished killing your little blonde-haired partner." She shoved his   
head back into the ground again before taking her foot off his head and using it to lift   
his head up so that she could stare down at him. "You should be grateful, little boy.   
Mistress Gale says that she'll let you see your partner again before she kills you as well.   
Of course, she'll be dead by then. Pity."  
  
With a angry growl, Masked Knight pushed himself up and leaped to his feet. Just before he   
could run past Chimei, she spun and kicked him in the head with a powerful roundhouse kick   
which knocked him down to the ground again.  
  
"No, no, no," she said in a sweet, chiding voice as she shook her finger at him. "I told   
you that you are not going to interrupt. Didn't you listen to me?"  
  
He replied by kicking out and sweeping her legs out from under her, knocking her to her   
feet. However, just as he was getting back to his feet, she had lashed out with a powerful   
blast of red energy which sent him flying through the air and crashing head-on into the   
wall of the nearest warehouse.  
  
"So," Chimei said as she stood up and walked over to where Masked Knight had landed. "I   
take it you wish to be difficult?" She smiled maliciously. "That's wonderful. I love it   
when they're difficult. It makes things more... interesting." She spread her arms out wide,   
as if inviting him to take a shot at her. "If you want, you can try again. I must warn you,   
though. Even though Mistress Gale order me not to kill you, she never said I couldn't hurt   
you." Her smile turned colder than the fiercest Arctic wind. "Once I'm done with you,   
you'll be begging her to end your tortured existance.  
  
"Now... shall we get started?"  
  
**********************************************  
  
The attack had done more than knock the wind out of her. She was now separated from her   
partner, yet again. It seemed as though the Dark Agency was determined to pick them off one   
at a time, and she always seemed to be the primary target. In a way, it made sense. After   
all, she was the first person to fight the Dark Agency. Masked Knight came much later. She   
must be their primary target.  
  
As she pushed herself back to her feet, she realized that the attack had pushed her into   
a different area from where she and Masked Knight were running beforehand. It wasn't as   
widely spaced out as where she was before and there were many shadows in which her enemies   
could hide.  
  
"Are you prepared to die, Sailor V?" Gale's dieembodied voice haunted her from everywhere   
at once.  
  
"Where are you?!?" she shouted angrily again as she whirled around, trying to locate either   
the source of the voice, or Masked Knight. She could see neither. "Crescent beam!" she   
shouted firing a shot into one of the shadows. It hit nothing.  
  
"Not there," Gale said mockingly as Sailor V shot another beam at a different shadow. "I'm   
sorry; not there, either." Again, a shot and a miss. "You're not very good at this game,   
are you?" she taunted. "Oh, well. I suppose I should be a little more fair. Kage, please   
offer Sailor V some... assistance."  
  
At her word, one of the shadows behing Sailor V began to move and coalesce into the more   
solid form of Kage. Sailor V spun around to see Kage approach her, but she was too late to   
avoid the attack she knew was coming. Kage swung an arm up to her head struck her across   
her face, knocking her backward and off her feet. As a follow-up attack, he spun around and   
kicked her hard enough to slam into the warehouse wall furthest away from them. For good   
measure, Kage gathered up enough energy to fire a thick beam of black energy at Sailor V's   
unprotected back, holding her up against the wall with nothing but the bar of energy. Once   
Kage ceased fire, she crumpled to the ground in a mass of pain.  
  
"Very good, Kage," Gale said in a pleased voice. "Now, would you be so kind as to help   
Chimei escort our other guest here? I want him to watch as I execute his partner before his   
very eyes." Kage bowed and left to carry out her command.  
  
Gale stepped out of the shadows behind Sailor V and grabbed her by her neck, just as she   
had with Chimei before her. She effortlessly lifted her up and backed her against the   
warehouse wall as she smiled in anticipation. Soon. Very soon, she would finally extinguish   
this girl's life and have the fuel for turning Ryoku to her side in the process. Everything   
was finally falling into place.  
  
**********************************************  
  
Masked Knight's Star Sword was out, but it wasn't doing him much good. Chimei was very fast   
and agile, avoiding all of his sword swipes with contemptable ease. By mistake, he had   
lunged too far in one of his attacks, and she had retaliated by kicking the sword out of   
his hand and elbowing him in the gut, stopping him cold.  
  
"My, but you are a stubborn one, aren't you?" she asked as he collapsed to his knees,   
coughing as he tried to suck air back into his battered lungs. "But then, that's what makes   
you so much fun! Well, when you're ready, you're more than welcome to try again. Just try   
not to kill yourself before Mistress Gale has a chance to do that for you."  
  
"Where... is... Sailor... V?" he gasped between ragged breaths as he glared at Chimei.  
  
"Sailor V?" she asked, blinking thoughtfully as she pretended to consider the question.   
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I'm afraid I don't know. You see, I've been so busy beating the life   
out of you that I've totally forgotten. How unfortunate. Well, I suppose it's your fault   
for distracting me, but I'm not upset. How can I be upset when I'm having so much fun   
beating you senseless?"  
  
"Damn... sadist," Masked Knight growled furiously as he pushed himself to his feet again.  
  
"Oh? A sadist, am I?" she asked with a fake shocked expression, then grinned. "I suppose   
that makes you a masochist, doesn't it? I mean, you seem to be such a glutton for   
punishment."  
  
"Shut up," he growled as he knelt down to pick up his sword without taking his eyes off of   
her.  
  
Chimei's grin turned catlike as she tilted her head, as if considering him for the first   
time. "You're just going to keep coming until you die from all these injuries, aren't you?"   
she asked. "I can tell. As much as I would love to let you continue on your self-destructive   
path, Mistress Gale has ordered me not to kill you until she is ready for you." She sighed   
regretably. "I guess this means no more fun. Oh, well. I guess I have to put you down   
before you force me to kill you."  
  
After having said that, she rushed forward and struck him with a knee to the stomach and   
an elbow to head at the same time. As soon as he hit the ground, she began to gather energy   
for a very strong, but just a hairsbreadth away from lethal, attack.  
  
"Wait, Chimei," a male voice interrupted just as she was about to fire.  
  
"Kage?" she said in surprise as she let the attack dissipate. "What are you doing here?   
What do you want? Can't you see I'm busy?"  
  
"Mistress Gale sent me to help you bring Masked Knight to her," he informed her.  
  
"Oh?" she replied, arching a cool eyebrow. "Well then, there he is," she said as she   
pointed down toward Masked Knight. "Do you think you can handle him by yourself, or must I   
assist you?"  
  
Kage wordlessly grunted a reply as he bent down to grab Masked Knight and haul him to his   
feet, taking a moment to wrench the sword from his hand and stick it through a loop in his   
dark clothing that he had made appear by thought. He gave Chimei a flat look as he dragged   
Masked Knight along with him while she followed with a very amused smile on her face.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Here he is, Mistress Gale," Kage announced as he stood behind her and forced his head up   
with his free hand. "We've brought Masked Knight, as you commanded."  
  
"Good," she said, satisfaction palpable in her voice as she turned to took at him.  
  
'Look well, Ryo-chan,' Gale thought as she tightened her grip on Sailor V's throat. 'Watch   
as I terminate your dear partner's life before your eyes. Watch and hate me. Despise me.   
Yearn for my blood. I want to see the desire to kill me blaze in your eyes! Then, I can   
appear before you as myself and help you kill 'Gale', binding you to me as I give you the   
vengence you will undoubtedly hunger for and securing our love once again!'  
  
"Masked Knight," Gale said in the grim tone of a judge passing sentence. "You and your   
partner, Sailor V, have been a nuisance to our cause for much too long. I will now correct   
what many before me have failed to do by ending your lives, starting with hers."  
  
Just as she had done with Chimei, Gale began to release a small, steady flow into Sailor V.   
She had the satisfaction of hearing her gasp in pain. She could see her wince slightly as   
she began to struggle again.  
  
"Venus!" Masked Knight shouted as he tried to go to her, but Kage and Chimei stopped him.   
Chimei quickly punched him in the stomach, which promptly halted his struggling, but Kage   
had to pull his head up in order to force him to watch Sailor V's execution.  
  
Slowly, carefully, Gale raised to flow of power. Not too fast or the fun would be over too   
soon. She wanted to savor this. She now had them both at their mercy and there was no way   
for them to escape. Their fate was sealed.  
  
Sailor V was now beginning to scream in pain, but she was far from finished. More power.   
More pain. More agony. She wanted to hear Sailor V's screams dwindle away as her life   
finally left her body. She could almost feel her pain, just as she could see the pain on   
Masked Knight's face as his struggles continued, albeit considerably weaker than before.  
  
Enough. It was now time to end the game. Sailor V would die now.  
  
Gale raised the power flow as high as she could manage, bombarding Sailor V with all of her   
power. Her screams began to become louder and louder as the pain continued to increase. It   
was only a matter of time until it would be all over.  
  
A loud explosion suddenly rang out a short distance away, followed by a second and a third.   
Behind her, Kage roared in pain as something struck him the side. Beside him, Chimei also   
shrieked in pain as something struck her in the leg. A third something rapidly sailed past   
her head, just in front of her eyes.  
  
She recognized that noise....  
  
A gunshot.  
  
While keeping up the power flow on Sailor V, she turned around in order to see what had   
happened to Kage and Chimei. When she turned around, she was just in time to see Masked   
Knight draw the sword that Kage held and perform a spinning slash attack, taking off Kage's   
head in the process as the rest of Kage's body turned to a pile of dust. She was so shocked   
at his rapid recovery that she didn't notice his kick to her head until it was too late.   
The attack freed Sailor V from her grasp before she could finally kill her.  
  
No! How could this have happened? Everything was under control! She had Sailor V AND Masked   
Knight! How could she fail?!? As she rose up from the ground, she saw the person   
responsible for freeing Sailor V and Masked Knight, the gun still held up in both her hands.  
  
It was that woman she saw with Sailor V and Masked Knight at that restaurant where she had   
first appeared as Gale.  
  
'Damn! Damn!!! DAMN!!!' she thought in enraged frustration. A part of her mind chided her   
about forgetting, once again, about the small details such as this woman, who was obviously   
a local law enforcement agent. That small detail had killed what was perhaps the best plan   
she had ever devised, so close to being perfect.  
  
"Venus! Are you all right? Can you speak?" Masked Knight asked worriedly as he knelt down   
next to his partner.  
  
"I... think... so," Sailor V murmured as she struggled to stand up. "How about you, Knight?"  
  
"I'll live," he replied with a smile of relief on his face. "Katrina saved our lives," he   
told her as he pointed toward where the Interpol officer was standing as a few more   
officers began to come around the corner and into view.  
  
"Remind me to thank her," she told him, then glared at Gale. "Now, how about we take care   
of unfinished business, Knight?"  
  
"My pleasure, Venus," he replied as he turned to glare at Gale as well.  
  
"This is not over yet!" Gale announced as she retreated into the shadows. "We still have   
our strongest warrior yet! Chimei! Kill them!" she ordered as she disappeared.  
  
"I owe you both for my leg," she said coldly as she turned toward them and began to gather   
energy for her attack. "Allow me to return the favor!" she shouted as she fired a large bar   
of red energy at them.  
  
"Look out!" Masked Knight shouted back to the Interpol officers as he and Sailor V dived   
toward the side. Everyone else managed to avoid the attack as well as the bar of red energy   
struck a warehouse and caused it to explode.  
  
Masked Knight held his sword up and prepared to charge while Sailor V prepared a diversion.   
"Crescent beam shower!" she shouted, firing her attack at Chimei. She dodged the attack,   
which was what Masked Knight wanted.  
  
Just as Chimei was landing after leaping away from the attack, Masked Knight attacked with   
a hard jump kick to her head, followed by a second kick to her chest as he was landing, and   
finished with a swipe of his sword, which cut off one of her arms. Chimei roared in pain as   
she lashed out at him, striking him in the chest with a tremendous force.  
  
As Masked Knight was knocked away, Sailor V quickly attacked with as much power as she   
could channel with her battered body. At the same time, Masked Knight also began to focus   
his power, even as he struck the ground.  
  
"Crescent beam shower!" she screamed, unleashing all her power in the blast.  
  
"Volcanic flare explosion!" Knight screamed as he rose to one knee, unleashing all his   
power in the blast.  
  
Both attacks struck Chimei at the same time, resulting in a huge explosion. Wind generated   
from the force of the blast washed over them, picking up dust, dirt, and small objects like   
pebbles, scattering them everywhere. Sailor V and Masked Knight both threw up their arms in   
order to protect them from the flying debris as it flew everywhere. When the dust settled,   
and they lowered their arms to see what had become of Chimei, they discovered no trace of   
her. Not only that, but the small pile of dust that was what was left of Kage was also   
gone, blown away by the winds of the blast.  
  
"Is.... Is it over?" Katrina asked quietly as she walked over toward them.  
  
"Not yet," Masked Knight said as he stood up.  
  
"Gale got away and the Master is around here somewhere," Sailor V said seriously. "We have   
to find them."  
  
"I think I know where they're at," Katrina told them. "We have one warehouse completely   
surrounded on one side with nothing but the water behind them and no boat. They can't get   
away. I told everyone to make sure no one escapes while I went to go find you two. This is   
your mission, after all. You two should be the ones to bring in the Master."  
  
"Let's hurry, then," Sailor V said as they all hurried toward the warehouse Katrina pointed   
out.  
  
As they approached the warehouse, everything was quiet. No one spoke as they silently made   
their way closer and closer to the entrance of the warehouse. As Sailor V and Masked Knight   
reached the entrance, they both signalled to Katrina that they would go in first and that   
she should wait for three minutes before following them in. Katrina nodded her   
understanding and the two partners entered the warehouse together.  
  
It was dark and quiet inside the warehouse and even though there didn't seem to be anyone   
present inside the building, they could almost sense someone waiting for them.  
  
"So, we meet at last, Sailor V and Masked Knight," a voice said from the back of the   
warehouse. "I wish I could say I was honored, but I honestly cannot. You see, you two have   
destroyed the final remains of what I had salvaged from the Dark Agency and rebuilt with my   
own blood and sweat."  
  
"So, you are the Master?" Masked Knight demanded.  
  
"Indeed. However, all of this is now of little consequence to me. The Dark Agency is now   
defunct, all thanks to your tiring interference. But, I do not care to try to rebuild it.   
It has already served its purpose.  
  
"I am now preparing to depart for Japan, back to more familiar environs. I cannot help but   
wonder.... If you two are powerful enough to halt my Dark Agency, then what could four of   
you accomplish? Furthermore, what of all six?" The voice of the Master stopped as if he was   
contemplating something. "I would take my musings to the Dark Kingdom... that is, if   
someone was willing to listen to what I had to say.... But, it does not matter. At least,   
not to you. You see, your life is about to end here."  
  
As soon as the Master finished speaking, Sailor V and Masked Knight spotted a pair of   
figures standing near the far side of the warehouse, one male and one female. The Master   
and Gale. When the Master came into their view, he suddenly dropped a pair of round,   
metallic objects, then turned to leave with Gals following him. As they walked away, they   
slowly began to fade from their sight until they had vanished completely.  
  
"What are those?" Sailor V asked as she began to head toward one, then froze.  
  
Those were grenades.  
  
And the pins were gone.  
  
"Venus!"  
  
"Knight!"  
  
They both shouted in frightened unison as they turned and ran for the closest exit they   
could find.  
  
And then, the grenades exploded.  
  
**********************************************  
  
The explosion blew Katrina off of her feet and sent her sprawling on the ground. She was   
fortunate that she had only counted up to two and a half minutes or else she would've been   
caught in the blast.  
  
That was when she realized that Sailor V and Masked Knight were inside when the explosion   
went off.  
  
"Minako-chan!" she shouted in fear as she scrambled to her feet. "Ryo-kun! Minako-chan!"   
She glanced around, looking for any sign that they had escaped. "Ryo-kun!"  
  
"Katrina!" she heard a male voice shout from behind her, faintly, but increasing in   
strength as the voice approached her.  
  
"Ryo-kun?" she called out hopefully, but saw that it was only Alan. "What...?"  
  
"I couldn't help myself, so I drove down here and waited across the street to see if you   
all were okay," he explained, then turned toward the now burning warehouse. "What happened   
to Minako and Ryoku?"  
  
"Minako-chan...," Katrina said as she began to cry. "Ryo-kun...."  
  
Alan's expression turned despondent. "Keep yourself together," he told her as he embraced   
her. "I'll be by your side."  
  
"Alan...," she sobbed quietly as she began to cry quietly into his chest. Alan silently   
held her, offering her all the consolation he could give her, all the while feeling just   
as grief-stricken as she did.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Venus! Venus! Minako-chan!" she could hear a voice call out to her as something violently   
shook her. "Please wake up! Don't leave me, Minako-chan!"  
  
"R... Ryo-kun...?" she murmured weakly as she slowly began to regain consciousness.   
"What... happened?" From what she could see, they had been thrown into a small alley-like   
passageway between the warehouse they were previously in and the one next to it. There was   
glass all over the ground from the window that they had been blown through, and there was   
barely enough room for both of them to stand shoulder to shoulder... if they even had the   
strength to stand.  
  
"Minako-chan!" gasped in relief as he hugged her. "Arigatou, Kami-sama! For a moment, I was   
afraid that you had...." He trailed off as he gently moved back a little in order to look   
at her face. She could see that he had been crying; there were tears on his face, but he   
didn't seem to notice.  
  
"Your... mask...," she murmured as she realized that his eyemask was now gone. His fuku was   
singed everywhere; even the edges of his ponytail were slightly frayed from the blast.  
  
He reached up to feel his face and found that it was indeed gone. "Yours is gone, too," he   
told her as he dropped his hand to his side. "Some other things were damaged as well." He   
reached behind him and revealed what was left of her compact. "I'm afraid that this is   
damaged beyond repair."  
  
She opened up her compact to find that the glass inside was completely shattered. The   
plastic casing was melted and thouroughly warped in several places, and in other places,   
there was nothing but blackened slag.  
  
With a gasp, she quickly searched herself, patting herself down in several places. She   
sighed in relief when she not only found her transformation pen, but also found it   
undamaged.  
  
"We'd better go find Katrina," he said as he started to stand up. "She must be getting   
extremely worried by now...."  
  
"Minako-chan! Ryo-kun!" they heard Katrina shout as she searched for them.  
  
"See?" he said as he smiled down at her. "Now, come on, Minako-chan...."  
  
"Katrina!" called another voice.  
  
"That's...," she gasped in startled recognition.  
  
"Alan?" he said in surprise as they turned in the direction of the voice.  
  
"I couldn't help myself, so I drove down here and waited across the street to see if you   
all were okay," they heard Alan explain. "What happened to Minako and Ryoku?"  
  
"Minako-chan...," Katrina said as she began to cry. "Ryo-kun...."  
  
"Keep yourself together," Alan said as they watched him embrace her. "I'll be by your side."  
  
"Alan...," Katrina sobbed quietly as she began to cry quietly into his chest as Alan   
silently held her. They watched the tableau for a few more moments, then moved back into   
the passageway.  
  
"He... loves her," she said quietly in slight shock.  
  
"It does seem that way," he replied quietly. "But, it is for the best, I suppose."  
  
"Do you really think so, Ryo-kun?" she asked, her expression crestfallen.  
  
"You really liked him, didn't you, Minako-chan?" he asked.  
  
"I...," she began, then shook her head. "I suppose it was just another hopeless love," she   
told him as she sighed longingly and hung her head desolately. "You should know me by now.   
Just one hopeless love after another, my heart breaking again and again." She sniffled as   
she slowly began to cry. "It's just like he said, Ryo-kun...."  
  
"Just like who said?" he asked as his expression became sympathetic.  
  
"Ace!" she all but shouted, even though he was the only one there who could hear her. "Do   
you remember what he told me before he died? He said my love would be hopeless for all   
eternity!" As he put his arms around her, she flung herself into his chest and began to cry   
in earnest. "He was right, Ryo-kun! My love is hopeless! Everyone I fall in love with is   
always wrong for me! Motoki-oniisan, Higashi, Saitou, Wakagi, Otonaru, Kaitou Ace... and   
now, Alan! Every one of them, all hopeless! None of them would ever love me back! Even if   
Ace did love me, he was really Danburite! Part of the Dark Agency! My enemy!" She sobbed   
again. "It's always my duty to fight as Sailor V... as a Sailor Senshi. But, it's always   
duty over love. Oh, Ryo-kun, why can't I fall in love? For real? Why must it always be   
hopeless?!?"  
  
He looked down at her for a long time as he gently stroked the back of her head and waited   
for her crying to subside. He made gentle soothing noises as he rocked her back and forth,   
waiting for her emotional breakdown to finally settle.  
  
"There," he said after her crying had subsided. "Do you feel better now, Minako-chan?" She   
only nodded in reply. "Now, do you truly believe that your love is that hopeless? Just   
because you've made a few bad choices? Do you really think that you could never fall in   
love, without that love being hopeless?"  
  
"Can't you see, Ryo-kun?" she replied piteously. "You've seen me fall in and out of love   
so many times. That's the way my life is fated to be. My fate is to continue fighting,   
forever, with no hope of true love."  
  
"Nonsense!" he retorted firmly. "Utter nonsense!"  
  
"Is that right?" she shot back sullenly. "What makes you think that I can find true   
love...?" She trailed off as she noticed that he was staring into her eyes in the same way   
that he did during that time in the restaurant during Katrina's birthday. She saw that his   
expression was considering, as if he was having an internal debate with himself. His   
expression suddenly changed, as if he had come to some sort of decision, and she began to   
close her eyes as their lips came together in a deep, heartfelt kiss.  
  
"Because," he said after he had pulled away in order to look her deeply in the eyes, "I   
love you... Mina," he said, using the nickname that she had always heard Artemis call her.   
However, it sounded different when he said it. It sounded... intimate.  
  
"You... love me?" she asked as her heart raced from the combination of the kiss and the   
profession of his love for her.  
  
"After everything we have been through together, I now know for certain," he told her as he   
took her hands in his. "You are the right girl for me."  
  
She started crying again, but this time, the tears were those of joy. "Oh, Ryo-kun...,"   
said as she hugged him with all of her strength. "Ryo-chan...," she amended, deciding to   
use the same name for him that his sister used, since she had told Makoto that she would   
get him to 'see the wonders of love again', as she had told her. In a way, those words were   
almost prophetic. She had done exactly as she had said, only it was herself that she had   
helped Ryoku fall in love with.  
  
"Ryo-chan," she began again, holding him with all her strength, as if he would disappear   
once she let go and make her love hopeless once again, "I love you, too."  
  
"Ryo-chan...," he repeated quietly to himself. "Only three people have ever called me that   
in my life, and two of them are dead."  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry, Ryo-k...."  
  
He cut her off with a silencing finger on her lips. "Let me finish," he chided with a   
smile. "As I was saying, only three people have ever called me 'Ryo-chan'. My sister,   
Makoto; my mother; and Keiko." His smile turned soft and gentle. "All three of them are   
people that I love and people who loved me in return. I would love to hear you call me   
'Ryo-chan', Mina. That tells me that you love me, just as I love you."  
  
"Ryo-chan...."  
  
He sighed reluctantly as he pulled away and stood up, then helped her to her feet. "As much   
as I enjoy having you in my arms, Mina, we should go tell Katrina and Alan that we're all   
right."  
  
She shook her head sadly. "No. It's better this way. He loves her, not me. I would just get   
in their way."  
  
"But...."  
  
"Sailor V and Masked Knight are dead now, Ryo-chan," she told him. "It's better for us and   
them that they think that we're dead. What if the Dark Kingdom tries to use them against   
us? If they don't know we're alive, then they're safe." She looked at him pleadingly.   
"Please, Ryo-chan?"  
  
He sighed as reluctantly nodded his acquiescence. "All right, Mina. I suppose you have a   
point. At least our plane for Japan leaves tomorrow morning. All our stuff will be on it,   
just as we had planned. All we have to do is sneak aboard without Alan seeing us."  
  
"Too bad my compact was destroyed," she said regretfully. "It would've been useful."  
  
"I know," he agreed, then sighed. "Well, at least we're finally on our way home again. Even   
if our host thinks we're dead." He blinked as a thought suddenly hit him. "I guess we're   
going to have to sleep outside tonight, since we can't go back to Alan's."  
  
"But it's cold...."  
  
"You're the one that wanted to play dead, Mina," he reminded her.  
  
"Very funny, Ryo-chan," she said flatly, then smiled and winked at him. "Then again, as   
long as I sleep next to you, I think I'll be warm enough."  
  
He laughed as he scooped her up in his arms and leaped up toward the warehouse roof. "I   
guess so," he replied as he started leaping from roof to roof, being careful not to make a   
lot of noise so no one would notice their escape. "So, how does Hyde Park sound to you?"  
  
"I hear it's lovely this time of night," she replied with a giggle as she hugged him and   
held on tightly as he made his way over the rooftops of London through the nighttime sky.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"We made it, Ryo-chan!" Minako said happily after disembarking the plan and leaving the   
gate. "We're back home!"  
  
"I'm just grateful to be back on the ground!" Ryoku moaned sickly as he followed her   
out of the gate. "So, where's your family?"  
  
"I don't see them yet," she replied as she searched the terminal along with him.  
  
"What?!?" he exclaimed in shock, then calmed down just as suddenly. "Oh. Never mind."  
  
"What's wrong, Ryo-chan?" she asked, then jerked back in shock. "No way!" Just as he   
did, she calmed down just as quickly.  
  
"Mina?"  
  
"Oh, it's nothing, Ryo-chan," she told him. "I just though I saw Tempest in the crowd of   
people. Who did you think you saw?"  
  
"I... thought I saw Keiko...," he said with a small pensive frown.  
  
"Oh," she said softly as she reached out to take his hand in hers.  
  
"Excuse me," a kind voice called out to the both of them. They turned and jerked back in   
surprise at the blue-haired girl that had approached them.  
  
"You...," they both murmured in shocked unison, then turned to look at each other   
questioningly.  
  
"I'm... sorry," the girl said in confusion. "Is... something wrong?"  
  
"We're sorry," he said apologetically. "We just mistook you for someone we knew."  
  
"Oh, that's all right," she replied understandingly. "I just wanted to ask you if you   
are Aino Minako-san and Kino Ryoku-san."  
  
"Do we... know you?" Minako asked curiously.  
  
"Oh, so you are Aino-san and Kino-san?" she asked with a smile, then turned to wave at   
some friends of hers. "I'm so sorry," she said suddenly. "I'm being rude, aren't I? My   
name is Mizuno Ami. I'm a friend of Kino-san's sister, Makoto."  
  
"You know Mako-chan?" Ryoku said with a perplexed frown. "That's strange. I don't   
remember seeing you the last time I visited the bording school. Are you new?"  
  
Ami laughed. "Well, yes and no," she replied. "I am slightly new, but I don't go to any   
boarding school. I attend Juuban Junior High."  
  
"Juuban? In Tokyo? Mako-chan doesn't go there."  
  
"She just transfered there about a week ago," Ami explained as she turned to leave. "If   
you would please follow me, I can lead you to where Mako-chan and the others are waiting,   
along with Aino-san's parents."  
  
"Please, just call me Minako," she told her.  
  
"And you can call me Ryoku, or just Ryo-kun, if you want," he added.  
  
"It's nice to meet you both, Minako-chan and Ryo-kun," Ami said with a friendly smile.   
"Let me introduce you to the others," she added as she reached the rest of her friends.   
"This is Tsukino Usagi," she began as she gestured to the blonde-haired girl wearing her   
hair in twin odangos, "and Hino Rei," she said as she gestured toward the dark-haired   
girl. "Usagi-chan, Rei-chan, this is Aino Minako and Kino Ryoku."  
  
"Please, call me Minako."  
  
"And call me Ryoku, or just Ryo-kun."  
  
"Minako-chan! Ryo-chan!" they heard Makoto shout as she rushed toward them with her arms   
wide open in greeting. She immediately leaped at her brother, who caught her and twirled   
her around just as he did the first time Minako had met her. Behind Makoto, she saw her   
mother and father coming up along the same path the Makoto had ran from.  
  
"Mina!" her mother and father called out as they saw their daughter. Minako ran up to   
them and hugged them both. As she hugged them, she gestured for Ryoku to come join her.   
"Mom, Dad, you remember Ryoku."  
  
"We remember," her mother said as she smiled down at him. "I see you've been taking   
good care of our daughter while she was in England, Ryoku-san. We're grateful to you."  
  
"Mom, Dad, Ryo-chan and I are in love," she told them as she smiled back at him.  
  
Ryoku nodded his agreement as he stood beside Minako. "I would like permission to date   
with your daughter," he asked as he bowed respectfully.  
  
Out of the corner of Minako's eye, she could see Makoto grinning widely at her.  
  
"You love Mina?" her mother asked as she studied him carefully.  
  
"Yes."  
  
She suddenly smiled as she stepped forward and hugged him. "It's rare to find such a   
respectful young man," she said as she placed a hand on his shoulder and Minako's   
shoulder and pushed them toward each other. "You have my blessing."  
  
"And mine as well," he father added.  
  
"Way to go, Ryo-chan!" Makoto shouted joyously as she cheered for the both of them.   
The other girls just glanced at Makoto, exchanged looks, and sweatdropped.  
  
"All right, all right!" Ryoku exclaimed suddenly. "Can we all just leave this place   
and go home? I've had enough airplanes to last me the rest of my life!"  
  
**********************************************  
  
"That's her?" Sailor Venus asked. Since Artemis had told them that the time wasn't   
yet right for them to meet with the other Sailor Senshi, she and Sailor Knight had   
bought new eyemasks for themselves to keep up their Sailor V and Masked Knight   
disguises, even though the original pair were already 'dead'. After some   
experimentation, and a hint all but forcefully weaseled out of Artemis, she had   
discovered that her pen would now allow her to transform with the phrase 'Venus power,   
make up!' However, since her compact was destroyed, the only power she had left was   
her Crescent Beam. Sailor Knight, on the other hand, didn't have to worry about changing   
phrases, but his powers, which were semi-linked to hers, had diminished as well. All he   
had left was his Earth Thrust. Their fukus had changed as well, but at least they were   
somewhat similar to what they were used to.  
  
"Yes, that's Luna," Artemis replied as he pointed out the black cat leaving the Crown   
Arcade at midnight.  
  
"So, it's almost time?" Sailor Knight asked.  
  
"That's right."  
  
"I'll be glad when the time comes," Venus said eagerly. "I can't wait to meet our new   
allies."  
  
"Same here," Knight agreed. "So, what now, Artemis?"  
  
"We stick close to them," he told them. "We'll know when the time is right to announce   
ourselves."  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Say your prayers," the blonde-haired woman in the gray uniform sneered as she raised   
her crystalline sword and prepared to run the tuxedo-clad man through. They had watched   
her and her silver-haired partner trap the rest of the Sailor Senshi in a dark, rapidly   
shrinking dome of energy which was slowly crushing them to death outside near the cranes   
on the pier. Now, inside one of the harbor warehouses, their only remaining ally was   
about to die as well.  
  
Not if they could help it.  
  
"Crescent beam!"  
  
"Earth thrust!"  
  
Both attacks struck each of the woman's hands, causing her to drop her sword. As the   
woman growled and glared in their direction, they allowed the woman one brief glimpse   
before they disappeared, but not after the tuxedo-clad man had a chance to escape as well.  
  
Back at the dome with the remaining Sailor Senshi, they found that the woman had already   
beaten them to the dome. Well, that was how is was with the denizens of the Dark Agency;   
they could teleport at will, which was certainly an advantage on their part.  
  
"It's no use struggling," they heard the woman say tauntingly. "It is very important to   
know when to give up."  
  
"No!" both of them exclaimed at the same time. "Don't ever give up, no matter how hard   
the fight is!"  
  
"Those voices!" the woman exclaimed. "It's those same voices again!"  
  
The Senshi whom the two took to be the leader saw them first and pointed them out to the   
other Senshi. "Look...," she murmured in a weak voice. "Up there...."  
  
"Who's there?" the silver-haired man shouted irritably.  
  
They both exchanged glances, nodded, and leaped down to the ground before the surprised   
onlookers and removed their eyemasks.  
  
"Sailor Senshi, I am Sailor Venus!"  
  
"And I am Sailor Knight!"  
  
"Here we are at last!" they declared in perfect unison.  
  
"Crescent beam!"  
  
"Earth thrust!"  
  
Both attacks struck the silver-haired man's hands, breaking his hold on the barrier and   
wounding his hands, while shattering the barrier at the same time.  
  
"The barrier's gone!" the woman exclaimed, alarmed at the turn of events.  
  
"Sailor V?" the leader asked in shocked surprise. "Masked Knight? Aren't you both Sailor   
V-chan and Masked Knight-sama?" The other Senshi turned to look at them with some surprise.  
  
"Masked Knight-sama?" Venus said, laughing as she looked at Knight.  
  
"Anou... I don't think I'm worthy of being called '-sama'," he said as he put a hand   
behind his head in chagrin.  
  
"Yes, they are also known as Sailor V and Masked Knight," Artemis explained from atop a   
stack pipes. "But their true identities are Sailor Venus and Sailor Knight." He then hopped   
down off the pipes and landed facing the black cat. "Long time, no see, Luna."  
  
"Artemis," Luna greeted in return.  
  
"How dare you!" the woman sneered. "Kunzite-sama, please leave them to me. I will handle them!"  
  
Venus and Knight stood ready to fight the two members of the Dark Kingdom, when they suddenly   
halted and turned to stare at something behind them.  
  
"Queen Beryl?" Kunzite said in surprise.  
  
Venus and Knight exchanged confused glances. They had neither heard nor seen anything.  
  
"Why is that?" the woman demanded, then winced as if being chastened.  
  
"We have no choice," Kunzite said reluctantly.  
  
"But, Kunzite-sama...," the woman complained petulantly.  
  
"Sailor Senshi, we will meet again," Kunzite stated as he and the woman disappeared.  
  
"Tuxedo Kamen?" the leader called out after they left.  
  
"You mean that guy in the tuxedo with the cane?" Knight asked. "We had to help him get away   
from that blonde woman that just left."  
  
"That was Zoisite," the tall brunette told him. "Anyway, we made it, thanks to you two."  
  
"The six Sailor Senshi and the two guardian cats have come together," Artemis said as he   
and Luna sat between Venus and Knight, and the other Senshi. "That means everyone's here   
now."  
  
"Sailor V and Masked Knight... or rather, Sailor Venus and Sailor Knight," the tall brunette   
said excitedly. The others seemed excited as well.  
  
"Sailor Venus, are you the Moon Princess?" the leader asked suddenly, breaking the awed   
silence that had fallen.  
  
The Moon Princess. Artemis had told them about her after they had returned from England.   
"No, I'm not," Venus replied. "Knight and I are warriors sworn to protect the princess,   
just like the rest of you."  
  
"It's nice to meet you, everyone," Knight said as he and Venus extended their hands toward   
the leader. She clasped their hands with both of hers while the others placed their hands   
on top of theirs. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but which one of you is which? Artemis   
neglected to mention that to us."  
  
The leader smiled. "I'm Sailor Moon."  
  
"I'm Sailor Mercury," the blue-haired girl in blue added.  
  
"I'm Sailor Mars," the dark-haired girl in red told them.  
  
"And I'm Sailor Jupiter," the tall brunette in green finished.  
  
"By the way," Sailor Moon said as she looked at them curiously, "you both remind me of   
a couple of people I've met before. I just can't seem to remember who...."  
  
"Hey, now that you mention it, those two do look familiar," Jupiter said as she stepped   
forward and peered directly at Sailor Knight. "Especially you. You remind me of someone   
I know very well."  
  
"Don't tell me he reminds you of your 'long-lost senpai'," Mars said flatly.  
  
'Long-lost senpai?' Knight thought as he glanced back at Venus in surprise, who seemed   
just as surprised as he was. 'It... can't be...,' he thought in shock. 'No way....'  
  
"You remind me of someone as well," he replied. "My sister, Mako-chan."  
  
Jupiter's eyes widened in complete shock. "R... Ryo-chan?!?" she gasped as she stared   
at him in disbelief.  
  
Knight nodded as he reverted back into his normal form. "I can hardly believe it myself.   
My imouto-chan, one of the very allies we have been searching for."  
  
"It IS you, Ryo-chan!" Jupiter shouted as she changed back and hugged him. "And Venus?   
Is she...?"  
  
"It's me, Mako-chan," Venus said as she changed back as well.  
  
"Minako-chan!" Makoto shouted as she gathered her up in a hug as well. "I can't believe   
it! Everyone! It's Ryo-chan and Minako-chan!"  
  
By then, the other Sailor Senshi had reverted back into their normal forms. Minako and   
Ryoku were surprised to find that the other three Senshi were the very three friends   
of Makoto's that had greeted them at the airport that day. Ami was Sailor Mercury, Rei   
was Sailor Mars, and Usagi was Sailor Moon.  
  
Luna and Artemis couldn't help but grin at the display as the six Sailor Senshi met each   
other again for the first time.  
  
"Look at them, Artemis," Luna said. "I've never seen them so excited." She turned to him   
with a serious look on her face. "But, do you think that they are ready to help us face   
the Dark Kingdom?"  
  
"From what those two have been through together, they can handle anything the Dark   
Kingdom could throw at them," he replied seriously, yet fondly. He smiled again as he   
watched Ryoku put his arm around Minako's shoulder as all six Senshi began to leave as   
they listened to him and Minako tell them all about their struggle with the Dark Agency.  
  
"There's no doubt in my mind, Luna. No doubt at all."  
  
**********************************************  
  
Disclaimer: All original materials belong to their respective   
owners. Sailor Moon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi and a bunch   
of big companies. No copyright infringement is intended. This   
story belongs me, so I would appreciate it very much if you  
would ask for permission before posting it anywhere else.   
Thank you.  
  
The Question and all stories included are:  
Copyright © July 6, 2001 Jason C. Ulloa.   
All Rights Reserved. 


	21. The Question: Interlude

Alone No More - Minako's Story  
Story #1 of the Question Series  
by Jason C. Ulloa  
  
  
Interlude #1  
  
As the robed figure faded back into being, Venus and Knight woke from their slumber. The   
two of them exchanged quiet looks, then glanced toward the robed figure.  
  
"So?" it asked quietly. "How was it? How was your trip into another lifetime?"  
  
"It felt so... strange," Knight said with a thoughtful frown on his face. "There were parts   
of me that were no different than I am now, but there were also parts of me that were   
completely different. For example, I never got over Keiko's death that quickly. It took me   
almost another year after becoming Sailor Knight before I could finally let her go."  
  
"It was the same with me," Venus added. "Also, there were things in that were different   
from what I remember. Alan had never housed exchange students in his home. There were other   
things as well, like Tempest. She was never a part of the Dark Agency, nor had she ever   
changed her name to Gale."  
  
The robed figure nodded sagely. "Of course, there will be things that are different from   
what you know of your lives as they are. But you must also remember that the path your   
lives take depend on the events that occur within your life. They are what shape that which   
is you.  
  
"If certain small things are changed, then you, in turn, are changed, even if minutely. One   
insignificant change will not be noticed, but many changes, each affecting the other, will   
make all the difference in the world."  
  
"I suppose so," Knight agreed with a slow nod.  
  
"How do you feel now? Do you feel any different now that you have seen what you life could   
have been, had circumstances been different."  
  
"To be completely honest, I've had a slight bit of jealousy toward Ami-chan since she had   
Ryo-kun," Venus admitted. "In a way, a very small part of me had always wondered whether   
that prediction of Kaitou Ace's was true. When I first met Ryo-kun, I had wondered if I   
could get him to fall in love with me. But, I also knew that he had a soft spot for   
Ami-chan, so I never pursued him.  
  
"After feeling how... wonderful it felt to be loved like that...." She trailed off as her   
voice failed her. She shook her head quietly as she turned away from the others. Knight   
stood up and started to go to her, but Mercury stopped him. She shook her head as she   
stepped past him and went to Venus.  
  
"Minako-chan," she said quietly as she sat down beside her. "I'm so sorry. I never knew...."  
  
"Of course not," she replied. "I never told you. I never told anyone. I had gotten over him   
long after you two became as close as Usagi-chan and Mamoru-san." She paused as she sighed   
remorsefully. "At least... I thought I had. Now.... Now, I think that volunteering to do   
this might not have been the best possible solution." She took a deep, calming breath as   
she turned to look at her. "You all saw everything, right? You all saw how I felt when I   
thought my hopes for love were completely hopeless. That's sort of how I feel right now."  
  
"Minako-chan, you just can't give up hope like that," Mercury told her.  
  
"That's easy for you to say," she replied in a near whisper as she hung her head. "You   
already have the perfect boyfriend." She sighed again as she shook her head and smiled   
faintly. "But, I suppose you're right. After all, there may only be one Ryo-kun, but I'm   
sure I can find a guy almost as good as he is." Her expression suddenly turned serious. "I   
want you to promise me something, Ami-chan."  
  
"What is it?" she asked, her expression curious.  
  
"Take good care of him and love him like I would. For my sake."  
  
Mercury smiled as she took her hands in her own. "I promise, Minako-chan."  
  
"Thank you, Ami-chan," she said gratefully. "Now, let's get back to the others before they   
get started with the next volunteer," she added with a playful wink.  
  
"Now, then," the robed figure said as Mercury and Venus joined them, "who will volunteer   
next?"  
  
Sailor Mars stepped forward. "I'll go next."  
  
"Fine," it replied with a nod as it gestured for her to take her place beside Sailor   
Knight. "Now remember: When you wake up, you'll no longer be who you are, but who you were.   
You will not be you, but you will be your counterpart. You will not be able to control   
anything. You are there to watch, feel, and to experience. You will think what they think,   
know what they know, and feel what they feel. Now... sleep."  
  
Slowly, the world began to grow dark as Sailor Mars and Sailor Knight - Rei and Ryoku -   
began to drift into a very deep sleep as they slipped down onto the floor....  
  
**********************************************  
  
On to Rei's story: Atonement  
  
**********************************************  
  
Disclaimer: All original materials belong to their respective owners. Sailor Moon belongs   
to Naoko Takeuchi and a bunch of big companies. No copyright infringement is intended. This   
story belongs me, so I would appreciate it very much if you would ask for permission before   
posting it anywhere else. Thank you.  
  
The Question and all stories included are:  
Copyright © July 6, 2001 Jason C. Ulloa.   
All Rights Reserved. 


End file.
